The Importance of Watching
Throughout Scripture, God calls His people to be alert, awake, and watchful. Jesus emphasized this repeatedly in His teaching about the end times: “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming” (Matthew 24:42). Watching is not a suggestion—it is a command. It is the posture of a believer who understands the urgency of the hour and the nearness of Christ’s return.
Watching Keeps Us Spiritually Awake
In a world that constantly lulls people into distraction, watching keeps our hearts awake to spiritual reality. The apostle Paul warned the Thessalonians, “Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober” (1 Thessalonians 5:6). Watching means refusing to become spiritually complacent. It is the discipline of looking beyond the noise of the world and recognizing the unfolding signs of the times. Just as a soldier on guard must stay vigilant for the enemy’s movement, Christians are called to remain spiritually alert against deception, temptation, and compromise.
Watching Strengthens Our Readiness
Watching is not passive; it produces readiness. Jesus compared His return to a thief coming in the night (Matthew 24:43-44). The one who is unprepared will be caught off guard, but the one who is watching will not be surprised. This readiness is not fear-driven but hope-driven. We do not watch with dread but with anticipation of our “blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus” (Titus 2:13). Watching cultivates a lifestyle of holiness, prayer, and urgency in sharing the gospel. It keeps our lamps filled with oil like the wise virgins in Matthew 25, prepared for the Bridegroom’s arrival.
Watching Guards Against Deception
One of the clearest warnings from Jesus about the last days is the rise of deception: “See to it that no one misleads you” (Matthew 24:4). The spirit of antichrist is already at work in the world (1 John 4:3), conditioning hearts and minds for the coming man of lawlessness. Watching keeps us grounded in truth so that we are not swayed by false teachers, cultural lies, or counterfeit gospels. A watchful believer tests everything against the Word of God, discerning the difference between truth and error.
Watching Reminds Us of God’s Sovereignty
When we watch, we are reminded that the chaos of the world does not take God by surprise. Prophecy unfolds exactly as He said it would. Wars, disasters, moral collapse, and apostasy are not signs that God has lost control—they are signs that His plan is right on schedule. Watching reassures us that our faith is not in human leaders or systems but in the Lord who “declares the end from the beginning” (Isaiah 46:10).
A Call to Watchfulness
The importance of watching cannot be overstated. It is the discipline that keeps us faithful in dark days, hopeful in uncertain times, and courageous in the face of opposition. To watch is to live with eyes wide open, hearts anchored in Christ, and lives ready for His appearing. As the world grows darker, may we be among those who hear our Lord say, “Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes” (Matthew 24:46).