The characteristic of a person who has his ear open to the Lord is watching.
“Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord, when He cometh, shall find watching; verily I say unto you, that He shall gird Himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth to serve them” (Luke 12:3737Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. (Luke 12:37)).
We shall find Him serving then, in divine love, still in the same character. He comes and brings us to heaven—to His Father’s house, that where He is, there we may be also. “While you were in that wicked world,” He says, “I was obliged to keep you on the watch, in a state of tension, with diligent earnestness to keep the heart waiting; but I bring you to a place where you are to sit down, and it will be My delight to minister to you.”
He comes, then, and takes us there; and what heaven can find for the heart to feed on, is spread on the table of God. “You shall rest there and feed on it,” He says, “and I will gird Myself, and come forth and serve you. I am not going to give up My service of love.”
Thus while I have the blessedness of feeding on what God has to give, I have the increased satisfaction, that if I put a morsel of divine meat in my mouth, I receive it from the hand of love that brings it to me. When He brings us there, all is turned around. “Here,” He says, “you must have your lights burning, and be watching; when I get My way, I will put you at ease, and make you happy.”
What characterized those servants was watching, and they got the blessing. “Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord, when He cometh, shall find watching.” Ah, beloved friends, are you watching, waiting for Christ practically? I cannot be watching, and going on in my own way. Are our lights burning, or have we slipped down to the ease and comforts of this world like other people? That is, not having our loins girded, and we are not to have it as doctrine only.
The people of God should wait with the girdle and the lamp, which are the beautiful standing symbols of their calling, till the Lord appears—that is, with minds girt up unto holy separation from present things, and with the hearts brightened up with the desire and expectations of coming things.
“Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the Master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morning: lest coming suddenly, He find you sleeping. And what I say unto you, I say unto all, WATCH” (Mark 13:35-3735Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. (Mark 13:35‑37)).