I receive great encouragement listening to and singing along to worship songs. I have worship music playing regularly throughout the day, and it not only helps my attitude stay on track, but I am blessed hearing my children worship God as well. I love a song by Jonathan Traylor called The King Is On The Way. The bridge of this song says, While we are waiting, we will be working. We are believing the King is on the way.

These powerful lyrics got me thinking. How often do we become complacent in our work for the Lord? It is easy to become distracted with all the noise around us, and we start procrastinating what God is calling us to do right now. We begin to think that the return of our Savior is farther than it is. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 says, But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God… If we take an honest look around us, we see this now more than ever!

When Jesus returned to Heaven as we see in Matthew 28, he left his disciples this task: Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. Go, baptize, teach… these are all action words! It was never in His plan for us to sit back and relax until Jesus returns. Whether it be at work, school, in your neighborhood, or in your conversations on social media, we should always be incorporating serving God into everything we do. When Jesus does return, let him find us working while we waited.

Suggested prayer: Dear Lord, there is no doubt that your return is drawing near. Even knowing this, it is sad to see so many getting consumed by the world. Please guard my heart and keep me focused despite the distractions. I want to be a faithful servant whom you find working while I awaited your return. For the remainder of my days on this earth, let my desire always be to reach one more soul for you. In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.

1.    John 9:4 (NIV).

The Encounter for today was written by: Crystal B.