Nougat 27

Remember the show, ’Candid Camera’? It was popular in the 40’s and had quite a good following. The plot was simple: hidden cameras caught people’s candid reaction to different situations, usually a prank set up by family or friends. At the point of the reaction, someone said, ‘Smile, you’re on Candid Camera!’ It was all in good fun, enjoying reruns until about 2014.

What if we were caught on God’s Candid Camera now? Would it capture us in positive and ways?Consider today’s Holy Nougat

“But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24‬:‭48‬-‭51‬ ‭KJV‬‬

If …

This last parable in the reflections on the End Time invites us to think intentionally about accountability. Candid Camera or not, God sees our hearts and our actions for what it is and seems to be giving us time to sort out our spiritual lives and ourselves.

How we respond to God’s trust in us for the tasks assigned is at the heart of Jesus Christ’s return. If we understand our task/s and continue on to their fulfillment, our reward awaits. And if not, then that also has its reward. Unlike Candid Camera, life isn’t filtered or edited, and sometimes it doesn’t go as planned. And the rough patches sometimes seem to outdo the good ones. But even so, we should not lose sight of our goal – fulfilling our assigned purpose and meeting our Creator and Savior.

We have no definitive date of Christ’s return, or of our departure from this earth, but we can live full lives for Him. It’s not that we become hermits – our lives must reflect the Christ-light to others – but we seek to invite others in, not to be influenced by others away from Christ’s truth. We can’t do this alone. Not in our own strength. But if we engage God’s Spirit wholly we will witness the transformation within and it will transform others too.

Additionally, if we follow the pattern of the parables we note

A. 32-33:

The signs will be evident; prepare ourselves

B. 37-39:

People will disbelieve, and continue to party hearty, making no move towards Jesus

C. 40-41:

The ‘Rapture’ will be sudden, and some will be left behind

D. 43:

His return will be as precise as a thief’s plan, and equally as sudden; we must Keep Watch

E. 45-51:

We like all stewards, will be held accountable for our actions: good and bad. With the accounting comes a reward.

If we need more signs and clues, there are other scriptures and loads of authors who speak to the issue at length. For me, what presents in this season is enough to say, I want to be ready; Lord help me invite others as I fulfill Your mission for me.

Are we ready? There seems to be a little time if we restart Now!

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May all we seek be found in Christ