The Road Devotional | Lent 2024

“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

Jesus starts this series of teachings talking about worry. Although in this story there are illusions to burglary and workers who are waiting for their boss to arrive (which can evoke worry), the point of what Jesus is saying here is not to worry or be anxious, but instead to be prepared. The kin-dom of God is at hand, and he is inviting them to be prepared (to be fully present in the moment) for the road ahead, which as we know from the Gospels is far from an easy journey. God often moves around us, working in the lives of others. It can lead us down roads towards co-operation with God, or we can completely miss those opportunities because we weren’t ready.

Q. How can we be better prepared for God in our midst?

Think about this: for the people who heard this from Jesus, they would have likely seen Jesus perform miracle after miracle, and are aware of his power (even if they refuse to see it as coming from God). They would have been anxious for “God’s Kingdom” to happen now! After all, they have been waiting for a very long time, and now they are seeing signs of their great Messiah at work.  Over 2,000 years later, are we not often in a similar mindset?

Q. What Jesus is calling us to task here is to build up God’s Kingdom so that, when God comes, we are ready to join in God’s work!

God, help me to be dressed and ready for service, with my lamp burning brightly. May I  live in constant anticipation of Your return, serving You faithfully with expectant heart. Grant me the wisdom to be watchful, knowing that You come at an hour we do not expect.

Amen.