How to Be Blessed By God
Diligent Readiness
Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:4-6
But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.
God blesses diligence in many ways. The final reward of our diligence will be our transport into the eternity God is preparing for us. Our journey here on earth will end in one of two ways. One way is our death. A second way could be when Jesus returns to earth to take all remaining believers…this is called the rapture.
The Apostle Paul is referring to this in our scripture passage for today. If you go back to the first three verses of chapter five, you’ll find Paul reminding us that Jesus will return like a “thief in the night.” In other words, the Bible teaches that Jesus’ return can be and should be anticipated but the specific date is unknown. The apostle uses the illustration of a pregnant woman. We can anticipate the baby, but the exact delivery date cannot be known.
Verse four challenges us to be “awake” and that we, as believers, should not be taken by surprise. As Paul states in verse six, we must be “alert and self-controlled.” This is the diligence that God will reward. We should live today aware that Jesus could come any moment to take us to be with Him forever. Unfortunately, the busyness of our day can, if we allow it, keep our focus on the immediate and short-term! This will lead to less self-control and more self-indulgence. Be diligent! Determine that today you will be more conscious of God’s coming Kingdom. What behavior changes would you demand of yourself if you knew that Jesus would return tonight?
“Father, I’m glad to be a person of light. Help me to live that way today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”