The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Matthew 24:40-44, “Then there shall be two men in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left.

41 “Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left.

42 “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.

43 “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.

44 “For this reason you be ready too; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.

Crime is not only increasing in our day, but it is transforming into activities heretofore virtually unknown. Thieves now troll through areas seeking packages where Fed Ex and other delivery systems have left them on the porches of neigborhood homes. New companies have arisen, offering alarm systems to homeowners to protect their houses and delivery packages. Why? Because no one knows exactly when a thief is going to strike.

That parallels exactly what Jesus said in our verses above. It was normal for men to be working in the fields; and it was normal for eastern women to be grinding corn and wheat which would be the staples for cooking.

While the two men were working, one would be taken and the other left behind. The same was said of the women: one was taken and the other left behind. The context of Jesus’ words suggest that the ones taken, were taken to meet the LORD in the air. They were His believing children, perhaps even surprised by His coming; nevertheless, they were His and were taken to be with Him.

Jesus then switches the metaphor by saying that had the owner of a house known exactly when a thief would be coming, he would be alert to stop him. But, since neither he nor we know exactly when the LORD is coming, we must always be alert and ready. There are many distractions that keep us focused on ourselves and our possessions. But Christ Jesus’ Coming is the greatest event in the end of Christian history. We must not miss that.

But, if we’re saved –if we have accepted Him as our LORD and Savior, we are ready, aren’t we? In a sense, that is true; yet, there are things we have yet to do, people we’ve not spoken to regarding the LORD. Then, there’s sin we’ve not rejected, not repented of. We’ve probably got more to do to be truly ready. Still, we don’t know with certaity the time of His coming. We just have to be ready when He comes! Are you ready?

We pray that you are ready in every way,

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & Gene)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”