Heads-Up!

Just as we got into the car to take our son to the airport, his phone rang. "It was the airport," Greg said, "My flight is delayed an hour." Oh well, he said he would just go on and wait the hour.  After we had driven about three-quarters of the way, the phone rang again with the news that the flight had been cancelled!

There wouldn't be another flight until 7:00 that night.  We had gotten up in time to leave by 7:30 a.m. to be there a couple hours early for his flight!  Since he didn't want to hang around the airport all day, we headed back home, but not before getting breakfast at a midway service area.  "We drove a long way to have breakfast at McDonald's! " I quipped.

I had plenty of time to put in the roast and make Sunday dinner when we got home.  Greg had a nap afterwards and we ran an errand, then it was time to go.  I stayed home this time.  When Greg called to see if his father had gotten home alright (he had), he said the plane had been delayed another hour!  He finally got to his destination about the time we went to bed.

I awoke in the grey dawn the next morning to the muffled sounds of our clock's chimes.  Duh, duh, duh duh; duh, duh, duh,duh.  Four sets of them. I counted the musical beats for a total of twelve before it sounded the hour. Then there were six bongs. Six o'clock.  It's almost as if the clock is giving me a heads-up that it is going to sound the hour, I thought.

I couldn't help but think about the times we live in.  Surely no one doubts that these are very momentous days.  Every day alarming new developments point to the loss of our freedoms and a change in our country and world.  It is apparent to many that the time of Jesus's second coming is drawing near.

Matthew 25 gives the story Jesus told of the ten virgins who went out to meet the bridegroom.  The story is presented in the tradition of wedding ceremonies of that time, in which the bridegroom is coming to take the bride to his home for more festivities after already having had religious ceremonies at her home.  No one knows just when he will appear, and the young women grow weary and fall asleep.  When the cry goes out at midnight that the groom is coming, five of them find their lamps have gone out and they do not have time to get more oil.  The other five go into the wedding feast without them.

Jesus uses this as an illustration of his second coming.  Verse 13 says, "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh."  In other verses, Jesus encourages faithfulness when He warns of thinking "...My lord delayeth his coming," Matthew 24:48, and again in Luke 12:45-46, "But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken, (46) The Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers."

We did not know the flight was going to be delayed.  Greg did not take his luggage from the car at home, however.  He was ready to go at a moment's notice.  Even as he waited at the airport, luggage checked and ticket in hand, there was more delay.  The flight did come, however, and he was ready! Our heads-up was given when Jesus said, "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh," Luke 21:28.