Luke 21: 29-33
In today’s passage, Jesus says, “Look at the fig tree and all the trees”. It sounds like an invitation to pay attention not only to what may happen in the future, but also to what is happening in front of us right now.
It also sounds like a clue that God may be reaching out to us not only through “religious things,” but also through the most ordinary events of their lives like a fig tree in bloom.
What today’s parable tells us is that it is time to wake up. It is time to stop living in the past and in the future and to start living right now. Our best chance at discovering what abundant life is all about is to start living into it right now.
Maybe you already know that the word “apocalypse” means “revelation.” Revelation is the moment when we can see through, see into, see beyond what is going on to what is really going on—not because we are something special but because God let us happen to be paying attention at the time.
We wish we could know exactly when the Son of Man is coming back. Why don’t we be ready all the time, not only for the end, but for whatever the moment brings?
Every morning when we wake up, decide to live the life God has given us to live right now. Refuse to live yesterday over and over and over again. At the same time, resist the temptation to save our best self for tomorrow.
There are all kinds of ways to wait. The only way to wait for a God like that is to look, to be on guard, to be alert at all times so that we do not miss the revelations we are being offered everyday of our lives.
How shall we wait?
No matter how much time is left for each of us, go ahead and make the decision right now—writing a thank you card for your friends and neighbors, giving a phone call or sending a text
full of kind and encouraging words for your family and church family, finding someone to love and forgive, and giving ourselves away.
“Be on guard” and “Be alert at all times.” And pay attention to what is happening around us right now.
Thanks be to God.