Two words I am hearing a lot are “uncertain” and “unprecedented.” Simply put, this means the times we are in with COVID-19 are unlike anything that came before. Yet, as I am thinking about these words, every day has always been unprecedented and uncertain.
No one knows what tomorrow holds. The phrase, “Here today, gone tomorrow” is very real to many of us. James stated that life is like a vapor (James 4:14). Moses wrote in the 90th Psalm, “The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; and it is soon cut off, and we fly away.” (NKJV) Every day we live is uncertain and unprecedented. Today is given to us. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is not certain. Since life is that way, let us live each day. Jesus said, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matt. 6:34) I don’t know about you, but I am still working on this.
No one knows when our Lord will return. Since tomorrow is not certain, our Lord could come back at any time. The rest of today may not remain. Preparing ourselves for that day is vital. I am convinced that if the Lord told us the exact day and exact hour when He would return that some people would wait till the last minute to make the necessary preparations; however, He does not tell us. He tells us of the uncertainty. He stated, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” (Matt. 24:36) Then He states, “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour you Lord is coming.” (Matt. 24:42) After illustrating that if the owner of the house knew when a thief was going to break in, he wouldn’t have allowed it to happen, Jesus states, “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Mt. 24:44 NKJV).
No one knows what will happen after death. The Bible tells us some of what will happen. Paul tells us it is a mystery. In 1 Cor. 15:51, he writes, “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.” Then he writes about the uncertainty. He continues, “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must but on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” (1 Cor. 15:52, 53) He had already indicated the body we are in will be changed ( 1 Cor. 15:42-44). John helps us to understand the uncertainty of this by indicating, “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is (1 Jn. 3:2). So, our bodies will be changed. What exactly will we be like? We don’t know yet, but we will someday. It is uncertain now but will be certain one day.
Based on the uncertainty of life and each day being unprecedented, let us live our lives looking toward heaven. Let us want to be with the Lord one day by living for Him now knowing that every moment we live is uncertain and unprecedented. Let us look, anticipate, and prepare for our Lord’s return.
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