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Continuing our focus of Luke’s Gospel, this week please read Chapter 21 verses 25-38 every day this week and, if possible, use a different translation each day, asking God to open your eyes to fresh revelation from His Word.
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Luke 21:34-35 (The Message)
‘”But be on your guard. Don’t let the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled by parties and drinking and shopping. Otherwise, that Day is going to take you by complete surprise, spring on you suddenly like a trap, for it’s going to come on everyone, everywhere, at once.’
I work for a company whose UK office is based in Cardiff Bay. It’s a lovely building that is situated right next to the National Assembly for Wales. We are always seeing high profile political people visit The Assembly and there are TV crews on site frequently. When I first started working there, I would always be on the lookout for any famous people and whenever I saw a TV camera, I would stop to have a look for a few minutes.
Over the years, I’ve got very used to all of that, and now I walk straight past and hardly notice the cameras. Yes, occasionally there are a lot of remote broadcast vans on site and then I take a little more notice, but not a lot to be honest. I’m just so familiar with it all that it hardly registers any interest.
Just recently, we were advised by our building management team that the Queen was visiting the area and that there would be additional security in and around The Assembly building. There would be security checks taking place for a few days before the visit and a heightened sense of alert with many additional police on patrol. It was difficult not to notice the difference for those few days. Police divers were checking out the bay, dog-handlers were on patrol and every manhole was being checked by security staff. Some of our staff were stopped and questioned about who we were and where we were going. Well, the day of the visit came and we didn’t know the exact time of the Queen’s arrival, but we knew that as soon as we saw the first set of police motorcycles come around the corner, that the Queen wouldn’t be far behind. The crowds formed, flags were being waved and a few people in our office stood at the windows for a glimpse of the monarch. The TV stations had informed us that she would be wearing a particular colour and so eyes were peeled on the lookout. The motorcycles arrived and the crowds cheered enthusiastically for a little while. However, there was no sight of the Queen, the noised died down and the flags were held down to the side. The people in our office who were standing at the windows began to dissipate and got on with their work. Sometime later, I went to get a cup of coffee and happened to glance out of the window and I saw the Queen! She wasn’t in any of the main cars and didn’t arrive in the place where most people had thought. He car had parked to the side of the building and she’d walked up the side steps. People had been distracted by the police and failed to see the main event! Many of the people in our office had given up looking and missed out.
Jesus is warning that we don’t lose our sense of expectation for His return. Don’t be distracted by anything that this world offers and don’t let our preconceived ideas get in the way of understanding. In a similar way to me getting used to the TV cameras and the high-profile visits, Jesus is warning us that we too can get used to the idea of His return and go about our daily lives without a second thought of Him. My prayer is that every day is a day of heightened security! Don’t let our expectation get dulled. Many of my friends missed the Queen’s visit. I pray that they don’t miss the return the King!
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