Tuesday: Keeping Watch
The Gospel for Every Day
Each day, we slow down to align our hearts with God’s Rhythms of Grace.
This series, we examine the portrait of the Extraordinarily Ordinary Christian Life.
This week, we meditate on the theme of Keeping Watch throughout Scripture.
Today’s Scripture
The Thessalonians were anxious about the second coming of Christ. When Paul addresses their fears, he does not provide them with a timeline, but an exhortation toward an awake, watchful, and hopeful life.
Reading slowly, let God convict you by his truth and overwhelm you by his grace in Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Gospel Meditation
Prayerfully meditate on the Scripture you just read using the rhythm Look Up, Look In, Look Out:
Look Up: What does this reveal about God?
Look In: What does this reveal about me?
Look Out: Where is Christ leading me today?
Closing Prayer
Inspired by Matthew 26:36-45
Father,
Like the disciples keeping watch at Gethsemane,
I confess that my flesh is weak,
I need your Holy Spirit to breathe new life in me
May I keep watch with you today,
Fully awake to whatever you want to do in me and through me
In the name of Jesus, who watches over me,
Amen
