Our life here on earth is guided by time. The importance of time in life is often expressed in the phrase 'Time is of the essence'. But do we truly understand how much time counts? Not just in relation to the life cycle, completion of projects, and the deadlines associated with contracts, but in relation to eternity. The knowledge of the importance of time helps us to place priorities on activities. We don't leave for the latter what we need to do now. I can reverse my wristwatch to deceive myself that it's not yet time for an event, but it cannot stop the event from happening. Truth is my feelings or your feelings cannot stop or change an assigned time. But why am I saying all this about time? “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only."
Matthew 24:36 NKJV
Jesus spoke of some events that would precede His return, but what He never told us is the exact time of His return. As a human being, we think knowing the set time for an event will help us prepare, but God deems it right that not knowing the set time of this event would help us prepare. Do you believe in Jesus? If Yes, Are you prepared for this event? If you don't believe in Jesus, I implore you to ask Him into your life as your Lord and Saviour by clicking the salvation prayer link at the end of this post.
“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom......But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!"
Matthew 25:1,5-6 NKJV
By receiving the Lordship of Jesus, we become citizens of God's kingdom, but the return of Jesus leads us right into this eternal kingdom. And speaking about the Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus used a parable for illustration in Matthew 25. I believe this parable is salient for our preparation as we do not know the exact time of His return, but some pointers could help in this parable. In this parable, Jesus spoke of ten virgins, waiting for the arrival of the bridegroom. This is in line with the Jewish culture where the friends of the bride would await the return of the bridegroom. Jesus described that these ten virgins fell asleep as they got tired of waiting for the bridegroom, who showed up at midnight. But when exactly is the midnight hour? Is it the same as we know it in our world 12:00 am / 00:00?
For me, the midnight hour is a time when darkness rules. Normally, light is expected to rule the day and darkness rules the night. But the midnight hour is a time of thick darkness, it is a time when evil rules, where evil thrives as good, a time where the good is no more. The midnight hour is a time when the truth is no longer taught or shared, according to Psalms 119: 105 NKJV "Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path." The word of God is the light of life, but when the truth of God's word is no longer taught on many pulpits, we leave people to walk in darkness. Where we suppress the word of God, we give evil access to rule. It's a time of forgetfulness, when no man is thoughtful or active, a time of passive faith; where faith is treated as common or not necessary. A time of false teachers and false teachings is the midnight hour. I often ask myself, how many of those who call themselves followers of Jesus truly know and understands the word of God? How many believers out there are living in deception because they have never heard the true Gospel? Would you agree with me that we are in the midnight hour?
What else could mean a midnight hour? I believe the midnight hour is a time of pseudo rest, false peace; when men are at ease, when all you think of is sleep, a time where no man is watching except the watchmen, which is why God would set some as watchmen in every generation. A time of no expectation because you think all activities have ended. Well maybe not. Even though we retire to bed at night, this midnight hour that I'm talking about should be for us a time of alertness. Rather right now, we have believers who have gotten so comfortable with life here on earth that the expectation of eternity or the return of Our Lord Jesus seems to be forgotten. But I will like to remind you, that the fact that all things seem to be ruled by darkness, and evil seems to be thriving as good in our world today, is a pointer that the return of our Lord is nearer because now we are truly in the Midnight Hour!
Dear Christian, this is not the time to sleep, this is not the time to rest, this is not the time to cast off restraint, this is the time to awake from our slumber, dizziness, laziness, lies that we have been told, it's time to discern the truth by the help of the Holy Spirit, it's time to live out the truth, it's time to tell our world about Jesus because surely He would return as He said.
"Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.”
Ephesians 5:14 NKJV.
This is time to SHINE THE LIGHT, remember according to Matthew 5:14, You are the light of the world, so let your light shine.
Thanks for stopping by to read, look out for how to live 'during the midnight hour.'
Remain Blessed.
Theresa.
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