Jesus is Coming

look busy

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 6

I saw a bumper sticker once that read, “Jesus is coming – look busy.” I suppose it was an attempt at humor. It is partly true. Jesus is coming. It errs in thinking the Omniscient God would be fooled by busywork.

A long time ago I worked for a company that had an employee that had a work philosophy that is perfectly captured by that bumper sticker. He would often be found in the warehouse leaning on a broom, talking, not doing anything productive. But he was sly. The reason he leaned on a broom was so that when he heard our boss coming he could start sweeping as if he were a diligent employee.

Some people think God is like an employer on the other side of the building who isn’t aware of what’s going on in the warehouse. We know we are supposed to be serving his interests, but we are too lazy or unmotivated or whatever and so we kind of hang out close enough to a broom just in case he drops in. We hang close to the church but we aren’t committed to serving and functioning in the body. We have a Bible – well, it's somewhere around here. Our motto does seem to be, “Jesus is coming – look busy.”

It reveals our lack of comprehension and belief in the true nature of God. We need a fresh vision of Jesus. We need to see him as he is. When we do we will see ourselves and we will respond like Isaiah, saying, “He am I, Lord. Send me.”