On that day

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

ON THAT DAY

Luke 17:30-37

30 "It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day no one who is on the roof of his house, with his goods inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. 32 Remember Lot's wife! 33 Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. 34 I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. 35 Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left." 37 "Where, Lord?" they asked. He replied, "Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather." 

NIV

There is no question the love for the things of life will be a person’s demise. Lot’s wife was the prime example of wanting those things instead of simply making the escape safely. She sort of serves as one being raptured but looks back in a longing for the life they know. The future is always questionable, especially when it includes death. No one really knows what their future holds. Some work many years, diligently storing up as much money as they can so to have a good future, at least among the things of this world. But in all reality they have no idea what that future will bring. Some, even with all their wealth cannot buy health and suffer greatly with some infirmity. It is somewhat the same for believers. We have all the scripture which declares to us that when we die we will be with the Lord, but no one has actually proof of that, we believe by faith that it is true. The point Jesus is making is that we cannot look back, we cannot be so attached to the world, to things in this world that we do not want to leave them in order to go to him. A day is coming when he returns for us that we will leave everything behind including some of our fellow people. It appears we will leave even people who are very close to us, like the one sharing a bed with us. Is Jesus saying that even among believers some will not go with him, because of their over attachment to the things of this world, or is he merely making a distinction between believers and non-believers? Surely we need certain things of life, and some of us have more things than others, and that may be strictly due to the sovereignty of God and nothing to do with our human efforts. Some may have more because of human effort motivated by the desire for more. This is the dilemma, we all have some stuff, which we need in order to live in this life, homes, cars, clothes, even toys of sorts, computers, boats, campers, cell phones, hobbies, models, golf, soccer, baseball, basketball, or other sporting equipment, plus a whole host of other things that occupy our time. Perhaps the point is not to become obsessed with them, willing to leave them all behind in order to follow Jesus. It still comes down to seeking Jesus, seeking the kingdom of God first and foremost above all else, and if we do that he will add all these things to us while we are still in this life, but once again they are but temporary things which we leave behind someday, on that day.