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TOPIC: Gordon, Samuel Dickey - Quiet Talks About Our Lord's Return (Other Topics in this Collection)
SUBJECT: 49. What Watching Means
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What Watching Means
Another question that asks itself a good many times is this: How can you be watching expectantly when you know it has been so long? We are continually urged in the Bible to "watch," but how can we? The very fact that so much time—centuries—has gone by, and that there were those who were eagerly expectant in Paul's day, and yet were disappointed,—this seems to make it difficult to be really expectant in one's heart. I remember a dear old retired clergyman, in a Bible class where the subject was up, asking earnestly, "How can you be watching and expecting for a thousand years?"
Well, there are some simple things that can be noted that help toward answering this question. The Coming might have occurred in any generation since our Lord went away. The expectation of every one in any generation whose heart burned with this hope was well founded. It was a possible thing that the expectation would have been satisfied. It has always been a possible thing that every expectant heart might have seen the lighting of the skies above the sun's shining. Another thing for us people living in this generation to keep warm in our hearts is, that it is certainly nearer now than ever before. Those two thousand years—nearly—that have gone by without the expectancy being satisfied, make it emphatic that it is nearer than ever, and likelier than ever to occur in our generation.
Still another thing to mark keenly is this; every expectant heart increases the probability of the blessed hope being realized in our generation. Every one who is being true in life to our absent Lord, every one who rings true in the foggy atmosphere of compromise and doubt and worldliness, with no hint of a flatted note in the tone of the bell, and does it lovingly, every such one is hastening the day, no matter how hidden away the corner in which he lived. And if a bit of light about the Coming has sifted in, and with the life being lived goes up a bit of definite praying, "Thy Kingdom come," "Lord Jesus, come quickly," that adds to the volume of spirit-magnetism that draws nearer the day, and the Man.
Then it helps to note just what "watch" means. It does not mean counting dates. It does not mean standing gazing up into the sky. The disciples quickly quit that when the two men spoke to them. Yet there may be many a glance up toward the shining sun and the vaulted blue, as you go about your daily task, thinking how wondrous it will be when some fleecy white cloud like that one yonder does bring Him. But "watching" means being ready, ready to meet Him. It means that you are living your life, and going your rounds, in the way you would be glad to be doing when He does come.
In our Lord's parable about the faithful and wise steward, [Note: Luk_12:41-44.] watching means doing the task assigned, having everything in the shape you would like to have it when our Lord comes, and the shape He would like to have it. Watching means obeying; it means doing His sweet will with all your heart. It means doing it to please Him who is coming. And all the while the task is sweetened and eased by the warm and warming feeling within,—"He is coming! maybe I shall see Him when He does."
And one more answer may be added,—Jesus Himself puts in the heart a longing for Himself. There may be very little instruction in, or knowledge of, His Word. But where the heart is in simple warm touch, kept warm and made warmer by brooding times over the Word, and by being alone with Him, there comes a yearning for Himself, that can be satisfied only by Himself, and will be fully satisfied only when we see Him.