Your Daily Devotion
from Gary Hamrick
... Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Chapel
for
Faithful in the Days of the Son of Man
... God preserves the faithful while the world moves on unaware
Luke 17:28-30 NKJV (devotion translation)
Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
Devotion:
In Luke 17 Jesus describes what the world will be like before His return. He compares those days to the time of Noah and Lot—periods marked not only by widespread wickedness, but by a troubling normalcy. People were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, and building. Life moved forward as usual, even while hearts were far from God.
The Lord’s emphasis is not merely on outward sin, but on spiritual blindness. Judgment did not come without warning; it came while people were unconcerned. They had grown accustomed to what grieved the heart of God. In contrast, Noah and Lot were righteous men who lived differently within corrupt cultures. Scripture shows that God sees the distinction. He knows how to preserve the godly and He knows how to judge unrighteousness in His time.
Jesus also reminds His disciples that when He comes, it will not be hidden. His return will be unmistakable, like lightning across the sky. Therefore, believers are not called to speculation or fear, but to faithfulness. We are to live watchfully, grounded in truth, and steadfast in mission.
The world presses for conformity, but Christ calls us to transformation. In days when righteousness may feel like a minority position, we are strengthened by remembering that God remains sovereign. He is never uncertain, never delayed, and never indifferent. As He delivered Noah through the ark and brought Lot out before judgment fell, so He will keep His promises to His people.
Our task is clear: build ourselves up in faith, remain rooted in His Word, and continue His work until He returns.
Prayer:
Lord, keep my heart faithful and watchful as I wait for Your return, and strengthen me to live boldly for You in these days. Amen.
Digging Deeper:
- Genesis 6:5-9 - Describes the wickedness in Noah’s day and highlights Noah as righteous, paralleling Jesus’ comparison.
- Genesis 19:12-17 - God rescues Lot before judgment, illustrating His ability to preserve the faithful.
- 2 Peter 2:5-9 - Affirms that God both judges the ungodly and delivers the righteous, directly referencing Noah and Lot.
- Matthew 24:37-39 - Jesus again compares His return to the days of Noah, emphasizing spiritual unawareness.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:2-6 - Calls believers to remain watchful and sober, not caught off guard by the Day of the Lord.
- Romans 12:2 - Encourages transformation rather than conformity to the world, echoing the devotion’s call to live differently.
- 2 Peter 3:10-13 - Speaks of the certainty and suddenness of the Lord’s return and the call to holy living.
- Jude 1:20-21 - Urges believers to build themselves up in faith and remain in God’s love while waiting for Christ.