Thoughts for the Day

‘Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Who are the people who have to be alert in this life? Well I guess one group that comes to mind are those who mann lifeboats. In their case minutes, not hours matter. When their alarms go off every second counts if they are to save lives. As an island, we in the UK are heavily dependant on the work of the Royal National Lifeboat Institute. It often surprises people to find out that the RNLI is a charity, run almost completely by volunteers. But these volunteers are trained professionals, and when that pager goes off they will drop everything to rescue swimmers, canoists who've ended up in the water, walkers stranded on beaches cut off by the tide, ships large and small that have got into difficulty, and even dogs that get marooned. When the call comes all their equipment must be ready. They will also need a cool head and the confidence that comes with experience to respond immediately to the emergency.

Jesus says we are to be ready for His return, but He also calls us to be alert today. We have to be:

• alert to when God is 'speaking' to us.
• alert to where we can be of service to help others.
• alert to when we can speak about the things of God'.
• alert to where God is already active around us - and join in.

We have no idea when we will be face to face with our master. But like the slaves, and the lifeboat crew, we are to be ready for the call. It's no good deciding the boat has no diesel in the tank at this point!

Lord Jesus,
help us not to sit in indolence
taking each day for granted.
May we use our time usefully
to help others and to worship You.
Keep us ever alert for Your call
so that You will not find us asleep
and unresponsive.
May we learn to live ever watchful,
waiting and ready for Your return.
Amen.