May 2023 - ‘That Day !’
I remember my oldest daughter turning two. She didn’t really remember her first birthday party. Maybe she did I can’t be sure. But she certainly had her wee heart fixed on her second one. One reason I remember was because the constant question she kept asking was ‘how long now until my birthday daddy?’. This went on every day for weeks. I even distinctly remember her singing happy birthday to herself on the baby monitor. Cute. That’s the truth about a special day that we have in our minds eye. We fixate on it. We plan our lives around it. We dare not miss it. We even tell others about it. Ever had one of those days?
That seems to be the key concern of Paul. Four times he uses the phrase ‘that day’ (4:2, v.4, v.5, v.8). He’s talking about the day of Jesus’ return. It’s been the great theme of chapter 4. His appeal is that knowledge and assurance of the day of Jesus’ return demands a joyful and confident response from his disciples.
3 things about ‘that day’ for believers then and now to know and consider…
It will come like a thief in the night! (v.1-4). You see that’s the difference between the burglar and a guest. You only know the arrival time of the second. You wouldn’t be good robber if you dropped a letter through the postbox stating your rough arrival time. It’s completely unknown. That’s Paul’s point.
Indeed, it is further backed up by the image of the pregnant mother. No-one can precisely predict the exact moment when the waters will break
But it will still happen. People may mock and doubt the certainty of the day but we trust the promise of the Lord Jesus. Peace and security in our day now doesn’t go to show God’s incompetence but, rather, his tender mercy in delaying the arrival of that day.
We should consider ourselves children of the light! (v.5-7). We have been born of God. Whereas previously our lives were driven by the power and desires of the darkness, now, simply by God’s grace, we have stepped into the light. That means that there should be a noticeably yet often subtle difference between the life of the believer and the people of the world. The night brings with it all kinds of dark behaviour. Ask any Police Officer and I’m sure they’d take a day shift over a night shift any day of the week! But believers belong to the day. A great question to ask is whether our lives are open enough to the exposed to the light of the day? The light of the day exposes the darkness. Stay awake. Be in control.
We are to arm ourselves as soldiers in a fight! (v8-11). The breastplate of faith and love. The helmet of the hope of salvation. Put on the gospel. Believe the promises of God. Breath in the Word of God. All sorts of accusatory and doubting darts will be fired at you by the evil one concerning the day and our participation in Christ. Fight back with faith. Our battle is not against flesh and blood. The battle is against the devil and the powers of darkness.
Indeed, it was German reformer Martin Luther who wrote simply,
“I have two days on my calendar: this day and that Day.”
Let’s encourage one another with the concrete knowledge we have of that day.
