We pulled up late in the evening with a carload of tired kids. My wife carried our sleeping daughter inside, then turned and in a low voice said, something’s wrong! What was wrong? We drove up on a robbery in progress. When our garage door when up, the thieves fled out the back.
I never saw it coming. A dark house on a holiday night presented the opportunity. The wretches broke in a door, took several items along with some cash, and eluded the police. I dozed by that broken door for the next several nights, baseball bat in hand, worried because the police mentioned that thieves often return.
When Paul writes you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night, I understand the metaphor. Thieves arrive unexpected. They surprise and create havoc. Yet every day, all over the world, thieves ply their trade.
The day of the Lord will eventually arrive. We don’t talk about this idea that seems anachronistic and outdated. I think most people feel like the plan has timed out. Two thousand years and nothing, so the idea is moot. But remember that a thousand years is like a day to the Lord (1 Peter 3:8), so it’s been less than two God-days since Paul’s warning. Not much time at all.
I also remember that the Lord wants no one to perish but all to come to repentance (1 Peter 3:9), so he delays way longer than you or I ever would. For that we remain grateful.
What am I to do in the meantime? Maintain my faith, love and serve others, and make the way of salvation known to those around me. Do the work and avoid the lullabies of the world.
The day may be distant, but the day is coming.
1 Thessalonians 5 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022
Photo by Rémi Thorel
Even so come quickly Lord Jesus.