Jesus said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west you say immediately that it is going to rain–and so it does; and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south you say that it is going to be hot–and so it is. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time? Luke 12:54-56

Why don’t we know how to interpret the times?  The answer is simple.  We believe we are in charge of the outcome of our lives. We know what will happen and can adjust what will happen making it more convenient for ourselves.  Nuh true? The other possible reason is that we are so focused on the coming of Jesus at the end of time, we pay little attention to the livity of the present. Each of us making clear our path, but not helping others do the same.

We have no control over when or how it rains or if the wind comes as a soft breeze or hurricane force winds, so we pay attention. We live our lives around them.  

Jesus in this passage calls us to pay attention to all that is happening around us. There are things that impact or is going to impact us and we do not see it coming until it is up on us. We must pay attention.

We must pay attention by looking at all of life through the eyes of God. What is God saying to us, what is God doing, as we remind ourselves that God is in all things. God uses the things that touch our various senses to remind us that God is present, that God is here, that God is near.  God also has an expectation that as coheirs of the kingdom we will ensure that God’s justice and mercy is seen and felt in the world.

We must pay attention to see clearly God’s continuous providence and care of God’s creation and God’s people.  God is not distant from us. God did not make the world and leave it. God does not leave us either. God gave us the care of the created world and ourselves.  The last thing Jesus says in Matthew 28 is that he would be with us until the end of time. Just as we make provision to respond to the rain and wind – the physical things, we must at the same time see what is happening in other spheres of life and respond accordingly. Our response is not necessarily reactive as in the case of the wind and rain, but is protective and prophetic.  

 Jesus is calling us to respond in a manner that ensures that God’s law of loving God and neighbour as self is adhered to.  We look for signs of God’s activities in our personal lives, community and national affairs and help others understand what God is saying and how all of us are to respond.  God calls us to speak out against the injustices. We take corrective or mitigating action in the case of the wind and the rain. Our prophetic and protective action is also correcting and mitigating against the injustices as God points them out to us.  God did not put us here for our good looks. God did not give us money or talent for ourselves but to be used for and to the glory of God.  We become hypocrites when we see the injustices and prefer not to use our resources for corrective action.  “May the strength of God pilot us. May the power of God preserve us. May the wisdom of God instruct us. May the hand of God protect us. May the way of God direct us. May the shield of God defend us. May the host of God guard us against the snares of evil and the temptations of the world.” Where God is all is well all will be well. All manner of things will be well.