Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States - Lutheran Seminary's God Pause "Moved by the Promise" for Friday, 28 November 2014 - Scripture: Mark 13:24-37

Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States - Lutheran Seminary's God Pause "Moved by the Promise" for Friday, 28 November 2014 - Scripture: Mark 13:24-25 “Following those hard times,
Sun will fade out,
    moon cloud over,
Stars fall out of the sky,
    cosmic powers tremble.
26-27 “And then they’ll see the Son of Man enter in grand style, his Arrival filling the sky—no one will miss it! He’ll dispatch the angels; they will pull in the chosen from the four winds, from pole to pole.
28-31 “Take a lesson from the fig tree. From the moment you notice its buds form, the merest hint of green, you know summer’s just around the corner. And so it is with you. When you see all these things, you know he is at the door. Don’t take this lightly. I’m not just saying this for some future generation, but for this one, too—these things will happen. Sky and earth will wear out; my words won’t wear out.
32-37 “But the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heaven’s angels, not even the Son. Only the Father. So keep a sharp lookout, for you don’t know the timetable. It’s like a man who takes a trip, leaving home and putting his servants in charge, each assigned a task, and commanding the gatekeeper to stand watch. So, stay at your post, watching. You have no idea when the homeowner is returning, whether evening, midnight, cockcrow, or morning. You don’t want him showing up unannounced, with you asleep on the job. I say it to you, and I’m saying it to all: Stay at your post. Keep watch.”(The Message)
In Alaska we have two natural measuring sticks or gauges to mark that the end of summer is near. Like the growth and leafing out of the fig tree's new branch, each takes some time to register the change of seasons. One is "read" on its way up; the other on its way down.
When the petals on the fireweed plant bloom, they move up the stalk—displaying a beautiful reddish purple before dropping off one by one, and keeping pace with the course of summer as its end draws near. In the downward direction, the marker is the "termination dust" (otherwise known as snow) that moves down the mountains until the gauge of summer drops to "empty."
New growth signals summer's start; fireweed and termination dust, mark the end of the same. Year after year they follow the same seasonal schedule, perhaps changing by only a few days one way or the other. The rhythm seems predictable, repetitious, progressive, deliberate, unhurried ... 
But not so the surprising coming of the kingdom of God. Watch out! Stay awake! Keep alert!
As I wait for the fulfillment of your kingdom, create in me a clean heart, O Lord, and renew within me a right spirit. Amen.
Keith Muschinske
Chaplain, United States Air Force (retired)
Eagle River, Alaska 
Master of Divinity , 1989
Mark 13:24 "But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light,
25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
26 Then they will see "the Son of Man coming in clouds' with great power and glory.
27 Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
28 "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near.
29 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates.
30 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.
31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
32 "But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
33 Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come.
34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch.
35 Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn,
36 or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly.
37 And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake."(New Revised Standard Version)
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