Time to Wake Up

	And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.

—Romans 13:11

Every now and then someone comes along and says they know the day of Christ's return. But don't ever believe that. The Bible says, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" (Mark 13:32).

However, we can know the times and the seasons, the Bible says. But no one can know the exact day or time when Jesus Christ will come back for His people.

But here is the question we might be thinking about: Will He come soon? And will He come in our lifetime?

No one can say with absolute certainty. But there are signs that would say it is getting close. They are on the front pages of our newspapers, on our news websites, and on our favorite television and radio news programs. We will read headlines along the lines of, "Iran Threatens to Annihilate Israel," "China Builds up Military," "Another School Shooting Kills 23," and "Thousands Feared Dead in Earthquake." These are signs of the times, because they are things that Jesus said would happen in greater frequency prior to His return.

If I were to go outside and notice that it was dark and cloudy and could even see the rain falling in a nearby city, if I saw that a weather system was moving our direction, would you think of me as a genius if I said it may rain soon? Of course not. It is obvious that it will be raining soon. It doesn't take an act of great intelligence to predict that.

In the same way, signs of the times are all around us, telling us the return of Christ is close. Knowing this should affect the way we live. So let's wake up. Let's be ready for His return.