Luke 21:20–28

Be Still: Father, you know us completely and love us perfectly. May your truth take root deeply within us today. Amen.

Read: Luke 21:20–28

Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory. (v 27)

Encounter: I don’t know if you have ever had a moment of eager anticipation? I remember as a child being promised the new Barbie doll that I really wanted. I was so excited that I could hardly sleep. My attention was fixed on what was coming, and everything in me was drawn towards that moment. Expectation changes the way you live. When you are certain something good is coming, it shapes your attitude, and your behaviour. There is a sense of joy that sits underneath the waiting, even when the waiting itself feels slow.

In this passage, Jesus lifts the eyes of his disciples beyond the confusion and distress of what they will see around them. He speaks of signs that can feel unsettling, even overwhelming. Yet he does not leave them in fear. Instead, he anchors them in a greater reality that the Son of Man will come again in power and great glory. It is a firm promise of Christ’s return and the completion of God’s kingdom. 

In the midst of uncertainty, Jesus calls us to stability in faith. He acknowledges that life can feel like it is shaking, but he assures us that what is coming is not defeat but victory. 

Apply: This passage invites us to reframe how we live in the present. Instead of being shaped by uncertainty, we are called to be shaped by expectation of what is certain. That does not mean ignoring difficulties or pretending life is easy. It means learning to hold present realities in the light of future hope. Where are you tempted to lose heart or become distracted by fear? 

Jesus invites us to live differently. To live with watchfulness, but also with confidence. His return is not something to fear, but something to long for. 

Devote: Lord teach me to live with my eyes fixed on your promise. When the world feels uncertain or overwhelming, anchor my heart in the truth that you are coming again in power and glory.