Many days lie between the cradle and grave, and my Savior may come on any one of them. This is a thought that should underly each moment.
Perhaps it will be a day consumed by ordinary labor and striving. If this is true, every task I undertake must be pursued with zeal, as if it were done for my blessed Lord Himself. Should He make His appearance during such ordinary days, He must find my work fulfilled in an honest, loyal, and complete manner. Let my gaze be as One that abhors error and cherishes truth. What deep pain would fill me if, upon His arrival, He finds me slumbering and sleeping!
Perhaps it will be a day of frailty and distress. I must endure with patience, humility, and even gratitude during such days. I must embrace the cross He has placed upon my shoulders. I must demonstrate that His grace has an astonishing ability to uphold me. What deep anguish would consume me if, upon His arrival, He finds me grumbling and lamenting!
Perhaps it will be a day marked by particular joy and triumph. If this is true, I must ascribe my delight to no secondary or lesser cause, like me, but only to Him, glorifying Him for it, not taking pride in my works but in His abundant kindness and mercy. It would be a regret of eternity if, upon His arrival, He perceives me to be full of self-congratulation and arrogance.
Perhaps it will be a day of devotion and supplication. Lord, may it be! If this is true, authenticity must run deeper than formality. No splendid mask must cover a hollow and insincere profession. What infinite sorrow would fall upon me if, under His discerning gaze, my faith was deemed a pretense, and my holy duties a lie!
Perhaps it will be a day of deep reflection and solitude. In such quiet, my thoughts must be steeped in love and reverence for my Savior. My solitude must not be one of self-indulgence, but an oasis for communion with Him. A time to listen to the whispers of His Word, meditate upon His precepts, and seek His wisdom and guidance. What ineffable disappointment would be mine if He were to come, only to find me absorbed in trivial thought and worldly considerations, showing my heart straying from Him. This day let me dwell in solitude as if it were a sacred sanctuary, wherein at any moment, my Lord may choose to grace me with His divine presence.
Perhaps it will be the day of my death when the mortal shall put on immortality. In that moment, Oh, Lord, may my heart be prepared, like a bride adorned for her bridegroom, to meet thee my Savior. He will summon me on that day; may my heart be found awash with established faith and abiding love for Him. May my lips whisper His praise till my last breath. What sorrow would shroud my joy, if, upon His call, He finds me unprepared, my heart tethered to earth, and mortal fears, rather than yearning for His heavenly presence!
Dear child of God, live as if this very day may be your last, as if the next tick-of-the-clock may mark your reunion with your Lord, and live as though our Savior will manifest before our very eyes today.