It is evident we should like to be found, whether absent or present, agreeable to Him when He does come. It gives Christ the place. We are poor things; but if we heard Him saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” what a thing it would be to us! Not that I pretend to expect it, except that they are His own words. There is a little more than waiting in this chapter. “Waist be girded” about. These flowing garments were to be tucked up, not loose, in going on with things as they are in the world; but hearts in order, according to the word of God, waist girded about with truth (Eph. 6:14); and then lights burning—a full profession of Christ. The first thing He takes up is having our affections on Him, and our delight in seeing Him, while we are watching for Him.

There is another thing quite distinct, a very blessed, touching expression of the Lord’s love. Here we have to have our loins girded, our hearts in order; but that is now, when the Lord is not yet come but is sitting on the Father’s throne; but then “He will gird Himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.” He says, “You won’t have to have your waist girded when you come into My house. I shall make you sit down to eat, and serve you.” He will make us sit down and feed upon the things that are in heaven at the table there, and He will minister the blessings to us, infinitely more precious. Not merely the giving us things to eat, but Christ Himself ministering them to us. In that sense, Christ never gives up the form of a servant; and when we think that Christ the Son of God takes this place, and has taken it, and never gives it up, what a wonderful thing!