Daily Devotional For Tuesday, May 28, 2024

Well, the extended Memorial Day weekend is over. I don’t know if you had Monday off or if you had to work. Either way, Terrific Tuesday is here. As I thought about today, I thought about the old hymn we used to sing titled, “Living for Jesus.” Here are some of the lyrics:

Living for Jesus a life that is true, Striving to please Him in all that I do; Yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free, This is the pathway of blessing for me.

[Chorus] O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee, For Thou, in Thy redemption, Didst give Thyself for me; I own no other Master, My heart shall be Thy throne, My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.

The rest of the hymn goes on to remind us that Christ died on the cross bearing my sin and disgrace. Therefore, our response should be to answer His call and give Him our all.  Ever since Jesus ascended to heaven, people all through history have tried to approximate the date of His Second Coming. 

The Bible says this in 2 Peter 3:10-11:

"The day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. (11) Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives” (NIV). 

Through history some have claimed to know the exact date — oops, egg on their face, right?Peter says the Lord will come like a thief in the night. The last time I checked, thieves usually do not text us or email us or call us or knock on our doors and give us the exact day and time they will break into our homes. The last time I checked, thieves do not make appointments of their break-ins. So, until Jesus does return, how should we live?

Good news — Peter tells us. We should live holy and godly lives. Every single person has a certain number of days they will live. Hebrews 9:27-28 says this:

“And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, (28) so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him” (ESV).

Notice the verse say “appointed.” That means it is locked in stone. God knows the exact day and time of your death. All men and women die. There are rumors that Walt Disney had his body frozen in cryogenics and is hidden on Disneyland property in California. Listen folks — he is not coming back. Once we die, we are dead and we face God’s judgment. 

This is why while we live waiting for Christ’s Second Coming, we should live holy and godly lives. The phrase in 2 Peter 3:11 translated as “what sort of people ought you to be” is actually one Greek word. It is the Greek New Testament word [ποταπός, potapos]. Pastor and author John MacArthur says it can literally can be translated this way: “

“How astonishingly excellent you ought to be.” Meaning, in light of our guaranteed death, Christ’s Second Coming and God’s promised judgment, Peter challenged his readers to live in keeping with their Christian hope—allowing their anticipation of Christ’s return to impact their daily behavior” (Source: John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, “2 Peter,” p. 128).

So, for this Memorial Day as we remember the men and woman who have lost their lives in keeping us safe, we should remember that Jesus Christ is going to return like a thief — unannounced and without warning. In reminding us of this, Peter says we should live holy lives (a reference to external actions) and godly lives (a reference to internal attitudes, thoughts, desires, passions, and reverence). 

Let’s not just memorialize our death fallen soldiers, lets remember our crucified and Resurrected Savior who will return one day. I close with this dire warning about the signs of our own times:

“It happened in a small country store in a little black community in southern Mississippi. A dear old black lady came to do her shopping. The kind of lady you wished could have been your own momma. She was a fine, stout, Christian woman, nourished through the years by the Good Book, fried chicken, and sensible living. 

She not only loved Jesus, but she lived every day in light of Jesus’ soon coming. So happened at the same store there were a couple-three fellows hanging around sipping a cola outside just up to no good. Just sort of like trouble getting ready to happen and they knew her faith. They knew she loved her Lord and they decided they would taunt her. 

“Hey, Bessie! We hear you ‘specting Jesus to come back?” She hardly looked at them as she took the shopping cart and began to push her way down the aisle saying, “I sho do.” “You really believe he’s a’coming?” With greater intensity she paused and looked back over her shoulder through her bifocals and said, “Sho as you were born.” 

Now they pressed her to the limit saying, “Well now, you better hurry home and get ready because Jesus might already be on the way from glory right now.” Now she stopped, turned around and stared her tormentors in the face. She said, “Now y’all listen to me. I don’t has to git ready. I keeps ready” (Source: Charles R. Swindoll & Bryce Klabunde, Contagious Christianity: A Study of 1 Thessalonians, “On That Great Gettin’-Up Morning—1 Thessalonians 4:13-18,” p. 62.

Questions To Consider

1. When you die, what do you hope you will be remembered for in this life and why?
2. When you die, what do you hope people will say about you at your memorial service and why?
3. Are your like old Bessie above, “Now y’all listen to me. I don’t has to git ready. I keeps ready.” How are you keeping ready for the Second Coming of Christ?

Scripture To Meditate On: Ephesians 4:1,  “Therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called” (ESV).

Prayer To Pray: “Dear Jesus, I know that one day I will die. I pray that what people will remember most about me is that I fulfilled Your purpose for my life and built Your kingdom, not mine. Help me to “keeps ready” for Your Second Coming. I ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen!”

I love you Southside!—Pastor Kelly