Warning From Christ

Daily Reading

“Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.” (Luke 21:34)

CHRIST gave a threefold warning in our verse which applies to all people in every age. The warning involves precaution, purity, and preparation.

Precaution. “Take heed to yourselves.” How often we need this admonition to take heed and take precaution about our life. We have a tendency to be careless, especially in the area of character. We need to take precaution in regards to our character just as the government takes precaution regarding the president when he travels. When the president travels all sorts of precautions are taken lest any harm come to him. If we were as careful about protecting our character as the government is about protecting our president’s life, we would not be falling into sin so often.

Purity. “Lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and the cares of this life.” Three problems are especially cited as areas where we need to be earnest to maintain purity. First, surfeiting. This word means to give oneself wholly to physical pleasure and to the appetites of the flesh. That is where most people live. But we must be careful the appetites of the flesh do not control us. Second, drunkenness. Christ prohibits it. You cannot be holy and booze. Yet drunkenness is a big problem in society. And it defiles and destroys. Third, cares of this life. You may not have a problem with surfeiting and drunkenness but the legitimate cares of this life may so control you that you have little time for God. Christ warns about this problem. Pay attention to this warning and get your priorities right.

Preparation. “So that day come [not] upon you unawares.” What is “that day?” It is when the Lord comes back. In principle it refers to when you will meet the Lord. Be ready for that day. As the prophet Amos said, “Prepare to meet thy God” (Amos 4:12). No preparation is more important. If you are not prepared to meet God, you will have a terrible eternity. Take heed, live holy, be ready to meet God.

John G. Butler, Daily Bible Reading: Sermonettes, vol. 2 (Clinton, IA: LBC Publications, 2004), 305.

Reflection

This verse hits home for me because it reminds me how easy it is to drift . It doesn’t happen in one big decision, but in the small compromises we make when life gets busy. We start letting little things slide, and before long, the “cares of this life” have taken more space than they should.

I’ve seen it in my own walk: the days when I’m not intentional about guarding my heart are the days when distractions creep in the fastest. Christ’s warning isn’t harsh; it’s loving. He’s telling us to stay awake. Not out of fear, but because He knows how easily our hearts can grow dull.

Let’s take heed to ourselves. Let’s keep our priorities straight and live like today could be the day we meet Him face to face.