Command 41 : Await My Return | Day 282

Be Ready for Christ's Return!

The father of an 18-year-old boy was frustrated with his son. He had invested much time and effort in training his son to live a Godly life, and now the son was turning toward the world and negatively influencing his brothers and sisters.

As I talked with the son, I learned that his father had indeed invested much in his life. However, this father had neglected a matter of primary importance—he had never talked with his son about salvation or personally encouraged him to place his trust in Christ for the forgiveness of his sins. As the father focused on leading his family in God's ways, he took for granted the fact that his children would accept Christ as their Savior.

One way a father prepares for Christ's return is by faithfully sharing the Gospel with his children until each one repents and is saved.

We do not know the day nor the hour of Christ’s return for His Church, but those who are "in Christ," both the living and the dead shall be "caught up" to meet the Lord in the air. “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (I Thessalonians 4:15-17). Anyone, including a son or daughter, who has not received God's gift of salvation will be left behind when Christ returns.

Every child is a priceless treasure entrusted to parents from the Lord. Part of this command to watch for Christ's return involves recognizing the agenda of Satan, which is to steal, kill, and destroy. (See John 10:10.) While each person is ultimately responsible for the choices he makes, parents should do everything they can to protect their children from being carried away in the thief's "spoils" and to teach them of God's salvation. “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (II Timothy 3:15).

“No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house” (Mark 3:27).

What this father did not realize was not only that his son was unsaved but also that his son was caught up in the pleasures of sin, which the "thief" was using to destroy him. When the son realized that his inability to have victory over the lusts of his flesh was God's motivation to bring him to repentance, he repented of his sins and placed his complete trust in the finished work of Christ for salvation.

Let's not only watch for the return of Christ; let's be ready for it by making sure that all the members of our families understand what it means to be a true child of God. This may require sharing the Gospel with a child numerous times as his understanding develops, but the loss is too great if we don't!