We cannot imagine the glorious things that lie ahead for us, and even the Bible is sparing in descriptions. There are passages that speak of peace and plenty, safety and an end to sorrow, but these are always written from a human point of view. What is “heaven” to you? You might say a deserted island in the tropics, wonderful music, a lavish feast, the presence of loved ones... We will always use human imagery, because that is all on which we have to draw, and the sum total of our experience. Isaiah’s words (64 v 1-9) alone come close to the reality; we have never heard, nor have we seen, anything to compare with our God and all he can and will do. (Paul quotes and expands on these words in 1^st Corinthians 2 v 9, but this is not one of our lectionary readings). Not only does God promise wonderful eternal life, he promises to act on our behalf. Isaiah pleads with him to “rend the heavens and come down ... to make your name known to your enemies ... and to come to the help of those who gladly do right.” (v 1,2 5) The way God acts will be beyond our experience and our imagining.

This, in part, must have been running through the disciples’ heads when they asked the question, “What will be the sign...?” (Mark 13 v 1) They wanted to know when God would act. Jesus’ initial words must have been far from reassuring; there were to be deceptions, wars, earthquakes, and famines, followed by persecution and betrayal, and then cataclysmic events that no one would survive unless God cut short the days (Mark 13 v 5-20) Then, however, they would see Jesus returning with power and great glory (v26), and the chosen ones would be gathered to him.

Something wonderful is coming, but we don’t know when; even Jesus, when he was on earth, did not know (v 32). So it is not for us to make clever calculations and try to work out the “day and hour”. Jesus has not told us to do that. He simply says that we should look for the signs, and be ready (v 33-37) Jesus never spoke idle words. When he says “watch”, he means it. There are wonderful things promised, but the message of this teaching, and of the parables that precede it (eg in Matthew 25) is a warning that we can be too late, unprepared and so miss out on all that God wants to bestow on us. That is why Paul urges the Corinthian church “not to lack any spiritual gift” as they “eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed” (1^st Corinthians 1 v 7-8)