A Devotion for November 30
by Kathy Drake

‘But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Matthew 24:36

At the end of this past September, Hurricane Ian paid a visit to SW Florida. The residents knew he was coming but were not sure where he would arrive. It appeared as though he would come to Tampa, however, at the last minute, he made a right turn and arrived on Ft. Myer’s doorstep. Warnings had been issued for days preceding landfall and many heeded them and found shelter elsewhere, but others were caught off guard assuming they were prepared or that the storm would not hit their area. Of course, now we realize how devastating that turned out to be. We know a lot more about hurricanes than we used to know. We can usually predict the day and general area it will make landfall.

In Matthew chapter 24, Jesus is giving a “heads up” to his disciples about his second coming. He warns of false prophets and the destruction that will come beforehand. He urges them to stay vigilant and ready for that time when it comes. “But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” What does this mean for us? If Jesus appears this afternoon, what will He find you doing? What will you be able to tell Him about your stewardship, service to others, faithfulness and witness? Are you prepared for that conversation? Maintaining a steadfast faith in the face of adversity is what we are called to do.