Watching and Waiting by D. L. Moody

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park, Washington, D. C. · Nov 6, 1916

Watching and Waiting

By D. L. Moody

We have the same authority for the second coming of Christ that we have for his birth, his death, and his resurrection. People say it is wonderful. It is as wonderful as that he should be born of a virgin, live a life of humiliation, and then be spat upon and crucified! I think that is a great deal more wonderful than his second appearing. Look at 1 Thess. 4: 15-18: "We which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not precede them which are asleep. . . . The dead in Christ shall rise first." And then in 5: 1-6: "Of the times and seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I should write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. . . . Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober."

Now, I want to say that no man will ever be disappointed if he does just exactly what the Lord tells him to do. There is one thing the Lord has taught us to do, and that is to watch for his coming. If he tells us to run, we are to run; and if he tells us to stand still, we are to stand still; if he tells us to walk, we are to walk; and if he tells us to watch for his coming, we are to watch.

I want to call your attention to this one fact: We are not taught to watch for death, but we are taught to look for the Lord himself. That is the true attitude of every child of God on earth. From Adam clear down to the present time—except during the thirty-three years that Christ was here—the people of God have been told to look for a Man from heaven. When he finished his work and was raised on high, he taught his disciples to look for that blessed day when he should come again. As he was leaving them, he said: "Now, you watch, and I will be back again. Keep looking."

If there is any child of God that is watching for Antichrist—watching for the millennium—you are not doing what the Son of God tells you to do. He tells you to watch for himself—the bright and morning Star.

Then another thing: We can't go to the Lord's table as we should without thinking of his return. Perhaps some of you never thought of that. See 1 Cor. 11: 26: "As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show forth the Lord's death till he come." The Lord's table is a long table, isn't it? It reaches from the cross to the future glory. Then see Luke 19: 13: "He called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, 'Occupy till I come.'" By this Christ tells us that we are to use our talents until he comes. See 1 Tim. 6: 12-14: "Fight the good fight of faith . . . until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ." In 1 Thess. 2: 14-19 we are to endure tribulation until he comes. In James 5: 8 we are to be patient till he comes. In 2 Tim. 4: 8, we are to wait for the crown he will bring with him when he comes. It is going to be a crown of glory. Peter tells us. In 1 Thess. 4: 17, 18, we are to wait for a reunion with our loved ones when he comes.

We are to wait till Satan shall be bound up—that is going to take place when he comes. Lots of glorious things are going to take place when he comes. That is the reason we are to watch, and pray, and wait. When his coming will be, we don't know. The true attitude of every child of God is just to be waiting and watching. We can get an idea of what the glory of those mansions will be which he is preparing for us from the length of time he is taking to get them ready. Maybe he is massing his forces for the final victory. "The time of our redemption draweth nigh."—"Moody at Home," pp. 176-178.