And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet     . . . No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. —Matthew 24:31, 36 NKJV

Visiting my daughter and her family a number of years ago, I’d borrowed their new car one evening to attend a local baseball game. Returning after the game, I went to lock the car and pushed the wrong button on her key fob. The alarm horn persistently shouted my mistake to the entire neighborhood. The sound was deafening. It didn’t help that it was nearly 10 p.m., the children were asleep, and this was a nice, quiet, peaceful neighborhood.

As I fumbled with the gadget, frantically pushing buttons—any button—all the buttons—my daughter came out and, with a knowing grin, grabbed the key fob from my hand. In two seconds, the neighborhood was quiet once again.

I think those car alarms go off more by mistake than when a would-be thief tries to break in. With all the racket the alarm makes, it would take a pretty dumb thief to even try.

But maybe not. When we hear a car alarm, do we even pay attention? Or do we tune out the noise, assuming it’s just another false alarm?

False alarms aren’t anything new.  

Over the years, many have tried—and failed—to pinpoint an event God promised will happen: the return of His Son and the end of time.

Remember Hal Lindsey? People rushed to get his book, The Late Great Planet Earth, when it was released in 1970. According to Lindsey’s calculations, Jesus would return within “one generation,” or forty years, of the rebirth of the country of Israel. That would have been 1988.

Yet, in spite of so many false alarms, few topics have intrigued folks more than the end times. Even Christians disagree as to the when and how. And what about all the earthquakes, tsunamis, wars, famines, and fires we hear so much about? Are they signs that the end is near?

Does it matter?

Jesus Himself said even He, God’s own Son, didn’t know the day or the hour—only the Father knows. He warned of false alarms and told us to be ready at all times.

So what really matters? I believe it’s living life as though the trumpet will sound at any moment. Whether or not I’m caught up to meet Him in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17) or whether or not there will be a millennial reign (Revelation 20:6) doesn’t really matter. What matters is the fact that Jesus will return and I am ready with Jesus as my Savior and Lord and am diligently doing what He’s called me to do.

“God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:11–12).

Do you have the Son and eternal life? Are you ready to meet Him when He comes back for His own?

Let me not put too much emphasis on trying to interpret the signs of the times, Lord Jesus. Rather help me to focus on living my life so I am always ready for Your return. Amen.

Read and reflect on Matthew 24 and 25.

From God, Me, & a Cup of Tea: 101 devotional readings to savor during your time with God © 2017 Michele Huey. All rights reserved.