Watching

“Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:36
I believe the rapture of the church could happen at any moment, and that it will definitely happen before the Great Tribulation kicks off. Some people might call that escapist thinking, but that’s exactly what Jesus is saying here. The doctrine of the imminency of the rapture is not burying one’s head in the sand, far from it. Instead it spurs us on to live holy lives, knowing this could be the day that He comes to collect us. Thus it purifies us.
On the other extreme, I’ve heard of people who take these verses (e.g. Mark 13:36, “When He comes, do not let Him find you sleeping”) to the letter and are afraid to sleep too long in case the rapture happens during the night. That’s not what these verses are saying. It is a state of your heart: are you watching and waiting in anticipation of the rapture? Are you ready to go, or do you have unfinished business here on earth? Is there somebody you need to reconcile with or seek forgiveness from? Do it today – by tomorrow we might all be outta here.