Daily Devotional
Will You Be Ready?

May 5, 2022

Ponder This

In ancient weddings, the groom would take the initiative. He would go to the father of the bride’s house, negotiate for the bride, and pay a price for the bride. This was called the betrothal. The young man and woman would have a cup of wine over which a betrothal blessing had been given, and they would drink from that cup together. And then he would go back to his father’s house to prepare a place for her, and she would stay back and begin to prepare for the wedding. The groom would set the date for the wedding in conjunction with his father. Eventually, he would come with a torchlight parade, and there would be one who would go before him, shouting, “Behold, the bridegroom comes!” And the bride would gather her things and be ready.

And that’s what’s going to happen with Christ’s Church. We’re the bride of Christ, and we’re going to be in a secluded place with our Lord. Suddenly, perhaps before we even finish this day, there will be the shout and Jesus will return. Are you ready?

• How do passages like 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 help us be ready for Jesus’ return?
• What does it look like to prepare yourself daily for Jesus’ return?

Practice This

Look over your schedule for the week. What would you do differently if you knew Jesus was coming back this week? Take action to align your life with this promised coming reality.