Daily Devotional for Sunday, May 10

The Summary of a Parable

“And take heed to yourselves, lest…that day come upon you unawares,” Luke 21:34.

For several years, the only form of communication between Bias, our village in Papua, and town was by shortwave radio. The radio was in the back room of the mission house where we lived the first two years. Every morning, someone would arrive to man the radio. He would check in with pilots flying in the area and the hangar in town. If a plane would be coming that day, news spread quickly. Everyone stayed close to the village so at the first sound of a plane approaching, they would be ready. A plane’s arrival was a novelty. Most of the village would gather along the grass airstrip to watch it land, see who was onboard, help unload and visit. It was a social highlight! Many days, the boys and I paused schoolwork when we heard the plane circling overhead. We dropped everything to go to the airstrip! We checked in and chatted with the pilot, getting news from town or asking him to deliver a message for us.

There were times when a plane would arrive unannounced. The circling overhead was the only warning we had. In those times, we scrambled to get out there in time to watch it land.

At the end of Luke 21, Jesus wrapped up His teaching and the parable of the fig tree with a reminder and warning. The people of Israel were not living in expectation. They could read physical signs of season change, like the leaves of the fig tree, or the skies’ weather report (Matthew 16:2, 3; Luke 12:54, 55), but determining supernatural signs was difficult. Jesus reminded and elaborated on end-time details and signs marking the return of the Son of Man.

He will return unexpectedly and at any moment. We need to be in a constant state of readiness, watching, listening for signs and praying. One Bible commentator said, “Faith rules out a business-as-usual orientation toward life.”

THOUGHT

Do you live in anticipation and readiness?

Kelli Reynolds