I think there is an increasing conviction everywhere that the Lord's return is very near. What joy to have such a hope! And He declares the blessedness of those who are watching for Him, whether He comes in their lifetime or not (Luke 12:3838And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. (Luke 12:38))-if He shall come in the second watch or in the third; so that none have been disappointed that have had the hope, and are fallen asleep. They have their special blessing. The Lord does not forget those who had heart- thus to go out in longing and looking for Himself.
I believe that it is the greatest help He gives as to sitting loose to everything here. May the truth as to all that He has now given to us, detach us in heart and spirit from all that He comes to take us actually out of at any moment!
Now is the time for surrendering all, as Mary in spirit in John 12, for the One who was passing out of the whole scene by death as rejected by this world, and as Paul in Phil. 3, who knew Him in all that He is in glory.
But the thought often presses on me, " Me ye have not always." How incalculable would have been Mary's loss, if she had failed to seize that last opportunity for yielding to Him that precious service recorded in John 12. She never could have recalled it in eternity. Not that I doubt that love will find new ways of expressing itself to Him then. But it will not be in what He looks for from us now. There will be no self to be denied, no cross to be borne, no world to be surrendered, no reproach to be encountered then, no more anything to test us. Now everything is just a test as to what place Christ Himself has in our hearts. May we answer to the test like Mary, learning how to suit ourselves to Him as she did!