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“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning!” – Jesus, to the disciples (Luke 12:35)

At nightfall, over Goshen fell a stillness that only increased the Israelites’ anticipation of God’s promised deliverance. With the smell of fresh lamb’s blood still in the streets, all Israel’s families shut themselves in their homes and remembered Moses’ instruction to be prepared at any moment. The people were to be dressed and ready for the Exodus. And Moses added: “Keep your lamps burning.”

Thousands of years later, Jesus told his disciples to stay dressed for action and to keep their lamps burning. The Great Exodus was about to take place.

But this time, God was not going to take down an Egyptian Pharaoh and set his people free from physical slavery. He was going to deliver them from slavery to sin and conquer a greater enemy: Satan – the accuser himself. The disciples were instructed to stay alert and ready for the moment when God’s great Exodus would take place.

Two thousand years more and we find ourselves in the final chapters of the history book written by God himself. Once again, Jesus’ words apply to us. We must be ready for the final Exodus – when Jesus will return to earth, raise the dead, judge the wicked and vindicate his people.

This time, Christ will not be coming to inaugurate his kingdom, but to consummate it. Paul tells us all creation is groaning in anticipation of that Day – the day when God will right all that’s wrong and renew and restore his creation – the day when the new heaven and the new earth will become a reality.

But until that day comes, we must be faithful followers, dressed for action, with our lamps burning, awaiting Christ’s return. C.S. Lewis would have us ask ourselves every evening… “What if the present were the world’s last night?”

When Jesus returns, will he find us at our posts, fulfilling his commands? The Final Exodus has been promised. When the curtain comes down, how will we be found?

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