The following scenario will not happen. “Now concerning that day and hour no one knows – neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son — except the Father only” (Matthew 24:36).

I don’t anticipate the Lord going back on such long-laid plans. After all, the prior verse says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away” (v. 35).

But humor me for a moment, and consider this hypothetical exchange:

Church: “Lord, we faint. We long for your presence. Please, please tell us when you’re coming back.”

Jesus: “Oh, very well. The Father has relented and authorized me to tell you. I will be returning on…”

Global bated breath. People in every village, city, region, and nation await the next words. One of the most significant, weighty questions ever pondered on earth is about to be answered.

Jesus: “…a Tuesday.”

Global pin drop.

Church: “What Tuesday? This Tuesday?”

Jesus: “Neither confirm nor deny. Just a Tuesday.”

Church: “But, Lord…”

Jesus: “Nope, that’s all your getting. Carry on. Take my word to the nations.”

It would be the ultimate divine trolling. We would be flying as blind as before.

But…you can bet we’d start living Tuesdays differently.

Think of it. Tuesday would be filled with hope, anticipation, and no small amounts of last-minute evangelism as we keep glancing out the nearest window. (One also imagines the conservative states quickly voting to make trumpet-blowing illegal on those days, outside of concert venues.)

Monday, far from being Americans’ ceremonial day of groaning about solid employment while much of the world lives on fifty cents a day, would now be preparation for Tuesday – a great deal of hastenings to tell people about Jesus.

Sunday sermons would likely gain a pulpit-pounding regular reminder: “How will you spend your Monday?”

And Wednesday would become the new Friday. We would sigh with relief at another chance, another whole week, to tell others about Jesus before it was too late.

We might never fully relax again. And perhaps that’s the point.

“As the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. For in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah boarded the ark. They didn’t know until the flood came and swept them all away. So this is the way the coming of the Son of Man will be” (vv. 37-39)

This urgency is how Jesus wants us to live. I’m so bad at it. I pray to get better. I pray to care enough to pray to get better.