"Keep watch," "stay awake," "be prepared" is Jesus' way of saying - don't "worry," "stew," or "fret" about what you cannot control.
It seems with today's technology we almost have the world at our fingertips. We can contact someone almost anywhere with a call, a text, or even a twitter. It used to be if you were waiting for an important phone call, you had little choice but to sit by your phone all day waiting for it to ring. Then came "call forwarding," and you could program your phone to ring your anticipated call through to a different number. You could be in either of two places and still get your call. With a cordless phone, still more freedom of place was possible. You could go outside and still not miss the call you were waiting for. Finally, with the cellular phones and paging systems, spatial freedom is complete. By being properly prepared and equipped, you can go virtually anywhere and do virtually anything and still not miss that phone call. Any place can become every place.
Jesus sort of encourages the "cellular-connected" Christians of their age. The on-time man working in the field and the on-time woman grinding grain at the mill looked just like their unprepared counterparts. They were busy laboring at their daily tasks, apparently wholly focused on the jobs they were doing. But they had a "cellular connection" to the Messiah, and when the Messiah called, they received the message and gladly took the invitation.
To be cellular Christian today does not rely on any pricey piece of technology. The "cells" that must keep us attuned to Christ's frequency must be every cell of our bodies. If our bodies can become receivers, open to the vibrations of the Spirit, if our souls can amplify the signals we pick up and transmit them to all with we come in contact, then we have become cellular Christians who are living timely lives.
Every Christmas, the time is ripe for meeting Christ anew. Don't fall asleep! Keep watch for his presence among us!
