“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. “ Matt. 24:42
”Watch” is our assigned role, function, station or mission. It is the necessary task about which one is both responsible and accountable. It is the premise for evaluation, appraisal and compensation. Notice, the ‘watch’ is assigned and not chosen. Someone higher or superior in ranking is charged to assign the ‘watch’ and his denoted to appraise the work done. We need to gain clarity here.
It is urgent aand cogent to therefore grasp clearly our “watch”. What is assigned for me to do? This is very important. It is not what one does that is important as what one is assigned to do. Take for instance, a child with as assigned homework from School, helped by his/her elder sibling to solve the Math; notice the elder sibling is not assessed on the same task he helped his younger sibling solved. In fact, he may do poorly in his/her assignment while the helped sibling does well. This is the point; we are assessed squarely on our ‘watch’ – assigned task.
Notice what Lord Jesus advised; “Keep watch”; remain committed to the task until the Assessor (Judge) comes to evaluate and certify your task and grant his remark and commendation.
The Bible painted a sordid outcome of someone who left his ‘watch’ thus; “But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matt. 24:48-51)
Beloved, God comes to check on us on our respective “Watches”, He comes at a time we do not expect and the hour one is unaware, whereas we are expected to keep the watch and aware of the fact…He comes.
The notice here is simple; “Therefore keep watch…”
We must identify our life’ assignment and be at it…knowing of the Lord we shall receive a reward if we do not faint. We should not be found idle, indolent or slack. Neither be busybodies; for “…they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to.” (1 Tim. 5:13 NIV) The cunning effect of busybodies is far reaching and very disturbing. The leave their ‘watch’ to deprive, disturb and detour others who are managing and keeping their ‘watch’.
Identify busybodies in your life’ watch and avoid them. Do not let anyone distract you. Note how Nehemiah replied his distractor; “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer. (Neh. 6:3-4 NIV)
Beloved, stay on course, keep the watch. Jesus said; “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. (Matt. 24:45-47). Stand upon the watch!
