"Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame."
This verse is the hope in the whole chapter. That while the world is in commotion, and the wrath of God is being poured out, that I watch. That I keep my covenants that the garments represent. They will be a shield and a protect to me at this time. The world may look on it as shame to worship the Lord, but there is no shame before the Lord if I only worship him.
I decided to look up all the references to the word watch. For, if I am told to watch I cannot imagine it means I am to passively sit by. I remember at the end of the Nephite civilization that Ammaron gave Mormon a charge to keep the records. Even though the Lord forbid him to preach to the people he did not passively sit by. Though young he was respected enough to be appointed a leader of their armies. Mormon was visited by the Lord. He prepared an abridgment of all the Nephite records so I could one day have them. He had a job to do, and he was blessed of the Lord to do it extremely well. He is a great example of watching but growing.
"Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee."
(Revelation 3:3)
"And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the Lord."
(Jeremiah 31:28)
"He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily."
(Nahum 2:1)
"Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."
(Luke 21:36)
"Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can."
(Matthew 27:65)
"But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love an all long-suffering."
(Alma 13:28)
"Therefore, after Alma having established the church at Sidom, seeing a great check, yea, seeing that the people were checked as to the pride of their hearts, and began to humble themselves before God, and began to assemble themselves together at their sanctuaries to worship God before the altar, watching and praying continually, that they might be delivered from Satan, and from death, and from destruction - "
(Alma 15:17)
"Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong."
(1 Corinthians 16:13)
"Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving."
(Colossians 4:2)
"But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not."
(Mosiah 4:30)
"Gird up your loins and be watchful and be sober, looking forth for the coming of the Son of Man, for he cometh in an hour you think not."
(Doctrine and Covenants 61:38)
There are a lot of actions words that come with the simple act of watching. Just like trials now prepare me to be of greater service to the Lord. I imagine the people living at this time will become spiritual giants, qualified to be of service to the Lord in establishing his millennial reign upon this earth at his second coming.
Day 1756
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