“Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”—Matthew 24:44, NKJV
After four days at camp meeting, we felt as if our spirits had been rejuvenated. The four of us felt our burdens lifted as we made our way to the railway station to take our train back home.
Since we arrived at the station an hour before our train was to depart, we spent the time in lively discussion about how we had been blessed at camp meeting. In fact, we even passed some of the time singing the songs we’d enjoyed at camp meeting.
Then came the announcement that our train would arrive one hour late! Though a bit tired, we managed to keep up our spirits by chatting and singing. Then came the second announcement. Our train would be late by an additional hour!
Now that announcement did dampen our spirits! In fact, we began to feel uneasy. Our tired bodies longed to stretch themselves out and just go to sleep. The breeze turned chilly and we began to shiver. One more hour ticked by. No train. By this time we had become extremely tired, if not a bit grumpy. Waiting became very irksome to us! What was the problem? Just a short time before, we had felt vigorous. Our hearts burned with zeal to witness for the Lord as we sang our songs at the train depot. Now, as the hours of waiting passed, our whole outlook had changed. Then, finally, after a five-hour wait, there came our train! We rushed to the stipulated platform, clambered aboard the train, and settled, at long last, into our seats.
This experience reminded me of our anticipation of Christ’s second coming. Each of us began that waiting and watching full of spiritual vigor. We yearned to witness for Him. Yet, I wonder if the wait has caused us to fall into such a spiritual stupor that we’ve become more preoccupied with the inconveniences of the wait than with the grand event itself.
The Bible tells us that after the prolonged delay, Jesus will surely come! Will we remain alert and continually watch, making sure we are ready? Or will we become careless about making the necessary preparations as did the five foolish virgins in Jesus’ parable (Matthew 25:1–13)?
Jesus is coming soon! Let us be found watching and waiting! Maranatha!
Jeyarani Sundersingh
First published in Carolyn Rathbun Sutton, ed., In His Presence (Silver Spring, MD: General Conference Women’s Ministries Department, 2018), 328.
