I suddenly woke up! Something didn’t seem right. There was too much light coming in through the window. I looked at the clock. It was 7:00 a.m. I was in shock. My alarm should have gone off at 6:00 a.m. I reached for it, but it wasn’t turned on—I had forgotten to set it.I looked for Renee. She was already gone. She had left town to visit one of our sons and his family, but I wasn’t able to accompany her. She had set her alarm for 5:00 a.m. I had planned to get up with her, but I was in such a deep sleep that she didn’t want to wake me. She thought I needed the rest. Now she was gone, and I hadn’t gotten to say goodbye or pray with her before she left. It felt so strange. I had an immediate pang of missing her. I was caught off guard.A few years ago, my dad called me late one night. My mom had suffered a heart attack. The ambulance was on the way, and he wanted me to come get him and go with him to the hospital. Renee and I jumped in the car within seconds, picked him up, and rushed to the hospital. Mom never regained consciousness. She died two days later. I never got to say goodbye. I was caught off guard.Many years ago, during my airline career, I was on a flight that nearly collided with another jet. It was a near miss. I survived, but I assure you, that day I thought about how close my life had come to being over. I was caught off guard, but that day changed my life.Not long ago I found out that an old friend I hadn’t seen in over 20 years had died in a motorcycle accident. He was a great guy, and I just couldn’t stop thinking about how his wife, his family, and all of us were caught off guard.There are moments in life when things happen suddenly—unexpectedly—and they usually catch us off guard. Had I been in that mid-air plane collision, I wouldn’t have been ready to meet the Lord. When my mom died so suddenly, I longed for one last conversation to tell her how much I loved her. When Renee left without waking me, I missed the chance to pray with her and kiss her goodbye. And my friend—I’ll have to wait until Heaven to see him again.God doesn’t want us to be caught off guard—especially when it comes to the second coming of Jesus. It could happen at any time, or it could be years from now. Jesus said that no one knows the day or hour, but one day, in the twinkling of an eye, the rapture of the Church will take place, and all believers will be gone.1 Thessalonians 4:14-18 (NLT) reveals:“For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus comes, God will bring back with Jesus all the Christians who have died. I can tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not rise to meet Him ahead of those who are in their graves. For the Lord Himself will come down from heaveI woke up suddenly. Something didn't seem right. The bedroom seemed brighter than it should have been. I looked at the clock. 7:00 a.m. My heart sank. My alarm should have gone off an hour earlier. I reached over and discovered the problem immediately—I had forgotten to turn it on.
Then I noticed something else. Renee was gone. She had left early that morning to visit one of our sons and his family. I wasn't able to go with her, but I had planned to wake up, pray with her, hug her, and kiss her goodbye before she left. She had gotten up at 5:00 a.m., but I was sleeping so soundly that she decided not to wake me. She thought I needed the rest. As grateful as I was for her thoughtfulness, I felt an unexpected emptiness. She was already gone, and I had missed the opportunity to tell her goodbye. I had been caught off guard.
That feeling reminded me of another day years earlier. Late one night my dad called. My mom had suffered a massive heart attack. The ambulance was on its way, and he asked if I would come get him so we could go to the hospital together. Within moments, Renee and I were in the car. Mom never regained consciousness. Two days later she stepped into eternity. I never got to tell her one last time how much I loved her. Once again, I had been caught off guard.
Another memory came rushing back. Years ago, during my airline career, I was aboard a commercial flight that came dangerously close to colliding with another jet. It was a genuine near miss. For a few moments, I thought my life might be over. God graciously spared us, but the experience left a lasting mark on me. I realized just how quickly life can change—and how suddenly eternity can come. I had been caught off guard.
Not long ago I learned that a dear friend I hadn't seen in more than twenty years had been killed in a motorcycle accident. He was a wonderful man, and I couldn't stop thinking about his wife, his family, and everyone who loved him. None of them expected that phone call that day. They, too, were caught off guard.
Life has a way of reminding us that tomorrow is never guaranteed. A missed goodbye. An unexpected phone call. A tragic accident. A life-changing moment. None of us knows when one ordinary day will suddenly become extraordinary.
The greatest surprise of all, however, will not be an accident or a phone call. It will be the return of Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself said that no one knows the day or the hour. One day, without warning, the trumpet will sound. In the blink of an eye, every believer in Christ will be caught up to meet the Lord.
The Apostle Paul wrote: "For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words." —1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (NLT)
Notice Paul's final words: "Encourage each other with these words." The return of Christ isn't meant to frighten those who know Him. It's meant to fill them with hope. But there is another side to that hope. For those who have never surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ, His return will come completely unexpectedly. They will be caught off guard.
God doesn't want that for anyone. He has done everything necessary so that every person can be ready. Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, rose again from the dead, and now offers forgiveness and eternal life to everyone who will repent of their sin and place their faith in Him. The question isn't whether Jesus will return. The question is whether you'll be ready when He does.
If you've never received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, don't put it off another day. Turn to Him today. Ask Him to forgive your sins, take control of your life, and make you His own. There is no greater decision you will ever make. Don't let eternity catch you off guard.
Romans 13:12-14 (NLT)
"The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don't participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don't let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires."
