Thoughts for the Day

Watchful slaves.

‘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.

‘But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he[g] would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.’

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Today is an Ember Day, a quarterly period of prayer, and for many people, of fasting. They occur every quarter of the year in Western Christian churches, for two or three days. Today's reading for an Ember Day is the story of the slaves who stay awake to wait to welcome their master's return. We too are to keep alert, for God is already at work in our world and one day Jesus will return.

Who are the people who have to be alert today? Well lifeboat crews - in their case minutes, not hours matter. When their alarms go off every second counts if they are to save lives. As an island, the UK is heavily dependant on the work of the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) - a charity manned by volunteer men and women, who when their pager goes off will drop everything to rescue those in danger. When the call comes 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 alert and ready for His return. 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.