About “That Day”

There are many things that I love about the Scriptures, one of them is their ability to upset and rearrange our entire lives in very few words. It is not verbosity that is needed to change us, but merely an understanding of what is required and a quickening of our spirits by the Spirit of God.
One very short phrase that can radically change your outlook on life is “That Day”. The apostle Paul uses this expression a few times in an off-hand way, but this very fact is what is so important. All days are not created equal, some days are very significant. Every student of History knows of D-day. It marked a significant step in World War II, and a hastening of the end of that war. Paul refers to “That Day” as if it is the only day that matters. As if no other day that has been in existence since the world began is as important. So what day is he referring to?
The Day of the Lord, the Day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ (Rom. 2:16). The Day when He will be glorified in His saints (2 Thess. 1:10). The day when Paul would rejoice in those he had fathered in the Gospel (2 Cor. 1:14; Php 2:15-16). The day when our works will be tried and rewards received (1 Cor. 3:13; 2 Tim. 1:12; 2 Tim. 4:8). It is a day of revelation, when all that is hidden (good or bad) will be revealed.
I would like to invite you to breathe in this 1st century air for a minute. You will find it more bracing than the best sea breeze. It will do wonders for your spiritual constitution. It is unpolluted by the materialism and unbelief that choke many in our current age. It is the breath of faith.
It is also a realization, every day I live is a preparation for that day. That Day the opening night of the eternal show. This life is only our preparation for that Day. We rehearse now so that we might perform then. We practice now so that there we can compete. Even as sports teams practice so that on the match days they are ready. This is the day in which success and failure are ultimately determined. The knowledge of this day should color our every thought and deed. It did all of the apostles (2 Peter 3:10-12; 1 John 4:17).
Some, such as the false prophets in Jeremiah, run after a temporary success which they obtain. However in THAT DAY, they receive an everlasting shame and reproach (Jer.23:40).
I don’t know about you, but my heart thrills with the words “That Day”. It’s the day I want to live for, not the past days I’ve had, or the present as if that is the best life has to offer, or any future attainment no matter how good.
See you on “That Day!”