Sky Watch

You’d better watch out!

How does that song go?

He knows when you

are sleeping.

He knows when

you’re awake.

He knows if you’ve been

bad or good, so …

you know the rest.

Sounds like Santa has

ripped a page from the Word

doesn’t it?

But Old St. Nick

is talking about

presents in the present

not the gift of life eternal.

Santa, no matter how jolly

is not the reason for joy

or why we need to be alert.

Nor do we wait

for the Lord’s

first appearance.

It’s his second coming

we look forward to

the dream

of ultimate deliverance

light shattering darkness

once and for all.

It’s the promise of God’s

forever presence

we dare not miss.

It’s the “not yet—but almost”

we hold dear.

The when of it all escapes us.

So, what is the point of living like

Christ is, once again

about to appear

like he’s almost here?

The attentive waiting

gently goads us to good works

helps us to strive to be holy—

right now.

Mark 13:24–37