"My Daddy Gon' Come Git Me"

Recently, my nephew, Max, slept over at our house. He is such a sweet boy, and we always look forward to spending time with him. He is full of smiles and giggles, and that sweet blonde hair and those big blue eyes don't hurt to look at either! One thing about his visit though, it's not forever. He lets us know right up front, that this is not his home, and he will be leaving as soon as Daddy comes to get him. I'll be folding clothes on the couch when he runs through the living room and says, "Aunt Brena, my Daddy gon' come git me." I affirm his proclamation. He is careful to keep his bag ready in case Daddy comes early. We will say the blessing at supper, and he says, "And my Daddy gon' come git me, Amen." Again, we laugh and agree. We are reading books at night and he looks up and you guessed it, "My Daddy gon' come git me." He is happy while he is here, but he keeps a close eye on the front door knowing that his Daddy will soon return for him. And in the mean time, he doesn't miss a chance to remind us he will be leaving.

As I read this passage in the gospel of Mark today, I thought about Max. The Parable of the Tenants is a wonderful example of the gospel story, and reminds us that the Lord is coming back. The Landowner represents God, the vineyard is His kingdom, the tenants are the Israelites, the servants are His prophets and faithful followers, and the beloved Son is Jesus. Of course, the story is wonderfully accurate, but the best part is that Jesus tells this parable to the religious elders who were guilty as charged. They knew exactly what He meant when He said that the Landowner would come and kill the tenants and give the vineyard to someone else. The parable teaches us that though He was rejected, He is the Cornerstone of the foundation. Jesus put the Chief Priests and Elders in their proper place when He told the Parable of the Tenants. He could not be trapped by the Pharisees questions on taxes nor the Sadducees questions on marriage after the resurrection. He knew their hearts.

Jesus goes on to explain many truths to the people in the temple courts. He taught that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord God with all our hearts, and the second, to love others as ourselves. Jesus shares whose son is the Messiah, and warns against arrogant teachers of the law. He continues by sharing that the widow gave more than the richest man there because she gave all she had. Do you ever worry about what you will say, if questioned on any matter? I love that when He teaches about the persecution of the saints, that He tells us not to worry about what to say beforehand, but that the Holy Spirit will speak for us. Wow! He warns of false prophets and false messiahs, He tells about the end times that we will see Son of Man come back in the clouds! This is where one of my favorite verses is found, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will be no means pass away." I painted these words on the doorposts of our home to remind us to keep an eternal perspective. Lastly, He tells us that no man knows the day or hour of His return, not the angels nor the Son, but only the Father. We need to be ready, and not be found sleeping. Eternity awaits.

Like Max, we should live our lives in anticipation of our Daddy's return for us. Make sure your things are ready, watch the door, and be sure to tell everyone that He's on the way. He's gon' come git you. Be ready.