What Would Jesus Tell Us to Do?

While attending Fordham University for my junior and senior years of college, I lived with my Greek grandmother, aunt, and uncle in the Bronx. Every morning, as I left the apartment building to head for the bus stop, my grandmother (my “yaiyai”) would lean her head out of the sixth floor window that overlooked the street and yell one word reminders to me in her mixed English and Greek: “hat,” “umbrella,” “banana,” etc.  Then the very last thing she would yell down to me (in Greek) was, “Watch and pray!”  That’s right, the very last words I heard from her each and every morning were Jesus’ words to his disciples, “Watch and pray!”

As we consider all that is happening in our world today because of the spread of this COVID-19 virus, many of us are trying to figure out what to do and how to respond. As we find ourselves cut off from the normal routines of our lives and almost forced to stay in our homes; as we read the news of overflowing hospitals, mounting deaths, as well as the terrible economic impact this is having on our nation and world; as we sense a mounting of frustration and fear in the people around us, we might begin to wonder how we as followers of Jesus ought to respond.  What would Jesus tell us to do?

As our church continues on our 40 Days with Jesus Bible reading, today we come to Mark 13. In this chapter it seems that we find an answer to the question, what would Jesus tell us to do?   Jesus’ disciples were asking about the end of time and his return. Jesus points out that, as time marched on there would be an increase in wars and natural disasters.  He says, “These are the beginning of birth pains.”  He points to a fig tree and says, just as people can tell from a tree when summer is on its way, so too his followers ought to be able to see the signs of the nearing of his return and the coming of God’s Kingdom.  However, in response to their question regarding “when” all of this would occur, Jesus gives one word of instruction: “Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.” (vs. 33) Some translations, translate the words there as, “Watch and pray!”—the same instructions that Jesus gave to his disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:38). The thought is, his followers ought always be ready for his return.

I’m reminded this morning that, when things such as a pandemic come upon us, we ought not be surprised. Rather, all of these things are a sign to us of the fact that the coming of our Lord is getting closer. So rather than give into frustration and fear we await his return with great hope and expectation. And as we wait, we do as Jesus instructed us to do: we stay on guard; we stay alert!  We prepare ourselves! We watch and pray! 

Have a great day! Stay safe! Watch and pray!

Pastor Tim Harris