Matthew 24:36-41 Which one?
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: August 17, 2019 Matthew 24:36-41
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
“No one knows when that day or hour will come—not the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father, because just as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be when the Son of Man comes. In those days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage right up to the day when Noah went into the ark. They were unaware of what was happening until the flood came and swept all of them away. That’s how it will be when the Son of Man comes. At that time two people will be in the field. One will be taken, and one will be left behind. Two women will be grinding grain at the mill. One will be taken, and one will be left behind.
(Revelation of God) Jesus said that even He did not know the day or the hour when the events that He described would happen. He said that the Father knew. This is another sign of how much Jesus was limiting Himself to live as one with us. He no longer had the ability to live outside of time and see the end from the beginning. I don’t know if He regained that ability upon His resurrection. Even if it was temporary for the period when He was living as a man, it showed the amazing trust between the Father and Son. Jesus was essentially blinding Himself and trusting the Father to lead Him around the holes in the path where Jesus was walking. He was depending totally on the Father’s superior knowledge for guidance and security. We are to trust the Spirit to lead us in the same way that Jesus trusted the Father.
(Understanding the Text) Angels don’t know any more about the last day events than we can if we allow the Spirit to lead us and are willing to study the scriptures. At the point in time when Jesus was talking, only one being knew the end time, and that was the Father. (Of course, I assume the Spirit knew also because He knows the deep things of God.)
Jesus gives two comparisons. One is that many people would be unaware of the disaster that was about to overwhelm them. Even the faithful who were preparing for the end would be surprised when the events began happening. The second comparison is that you could not tell by outward occupation who would leave this world with Jesus. Both a follower of the Way and someone without connection to Jesus would be together and one would be transformed while the other could not survive the glory of God.
(Application / Prayer) My application for myself is that I need to remember that even when it seems that life is going on and on and on, there will come an end one day. That end will mean a new existence and a new world to live in. I need to be living now as if I am already living in that kingdom to come. Thank You that You loved me enough to limit Yourself to being human in order to save me from dying. Thank You that You were willing to come to this broken war-torn world because You love us. Thank You that You did everything necessary to give us life even though it meant Your own death. Thank You that You trusted Your Father to the end. I pray for that same kind of trust.