One of the first things i was told after i called on the Lord for salvation was that Jesus is coming back. i used to sit outside and watch the sky, wondering if today was the day. The ever present vision of the return of Christ faded a little from my mind for a while, even at that, it was always circling somewhere in the back of my head every day. How could the anticipation of the return of Jesus be so constantly in my mind unless it was driven by the presence of the Lord? i mean, i don’t hardly remember what i ate yesterday, or people’s names from a few weeks, months or years ago, much less to remember to look at the sky in this eager anticipation of the return of Jesus. And i do mean eager too. It’s like i’m always somewhat excited to look at the sky. Maybe today’s the day.
i sat outside this early morning again, watching the sky. It’s been 53 years now and i’m still watching the sky with daily renewed anticipation.
Titus 2:11-13, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Now i’ve gotta add, there’s this great debate not so much about what but more about when, and honestly, it’s exhausting. i’ve set on the porch listening to preacher buddies argue, heard arguments as to pre-trib rapture, mid-trib rapture, post-trib rapture, no trib rapture, partial trib rapture, little tribulation then big tribulation rapture … and man, it’s just crazy. i’ve settled on something though, and it’s the truth, Jesus is coming back and we’re to continue on with God’s plan, being as effective as possible as long as possible until the Return. Yes, Jesus is coming back, but in the mean time, the date is today, the time is w, this is where we are, and forward is the way we’re going. We are to be occupied with our Heavenly Father’s business until that amazing day of the return of the Son of God.
Some people seem to be just sitting around doing much of nothing waiting on the sky to crack and Jesus to ride back on a great white horse. i’ve been in church meetings on Wednesday nights when the back bone of the church showed up, and they’d say, “Oh, when Jesus comes back, i’m gonna slide on streets of gold in my stocking feet.” Then i’ll do this, and then i’ll do that. Everything was sad and downcast, burdened with all the woe’s of this life, and their voices hung with grief and someday they were going to escape the badness on the earth when Jesus came back. i can remember, even then as a young believer, thinking to myself, “What about today? How will you live today in the mean time?” i can’t say i’ll escape all the terribleness of the last days, likely not, but i do know sound doctrine applies to the entire body of Christ and it would be impossible to explain to believers in heavily persecuted places that they will be raptured out before things get really bad. Before things get really bad??? Bad from who’s perspective? Sound doctrine applies to the entire body of Christ. They’d probably be like, “You mean after my kids were killed in front of my eyes, my husband was eviscerated for the name of Christ, my home and town burned, and you’re saying i’m going to be raptured out before it gets worse!??! Oh my gosh, somebody kill me quick!” Nevertheless, no matter where you are or the conditions of your life, Jesus is coming back. Are you ready to go?
It’s not meant that we should be passive observers, but actively in the world around us with all our physical, mental, and spiritual faculties, and our “eyes peeled to the sky”. If ever there was a time to watch and pray it is these days in which we live. And that is “watch” in the sense of being awake, pay attention, don’t let your eyes get used to the dark or go to sleep. The closer we get to the return of Jesus, the more awake, praying and watchful we need to become. An old fellow, many years ago, through his tired blue eyes and heavy lids, looked me in the eye and said completely out of nowhere, “Life is time, and to waste time is to waste life. Don’t be lazy.” There should be watching, waiting, and anticipation in all we do. Let us watch for the Return and not become passive.
In Revelation 16:15, Jesus said, “Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”
Friends, we are His people and the Lord promised to come back for us, and God keeps all of His promises, doing beyond all we have imagined. We will sit at God’s table, reveling in His everlasting love, safe at home with Jesus, alive forever.
There’s also two sides to the idea of returning. Not only is Jesus going to return for us, but we will return to Christ when He appears. We will go home with Jesus, returning to the Lord in full, only bigger and better, in a forever relationship with God Almighty, Lord of Lord’s, King of Kings, redeemed and restored as He promised. Matthew 24:27, “For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” All the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Take that seriously, it’s no kidding around. If He is coming back for us who are His, and we will return to be with the Lord, we’ve got to be ready to go.
We are waiting for you Lord, with our eyes always on the sky for your return. You are good for your word because you told us you would come back, and if it were not true, you wouldn’t have said as much.
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Friend, you can believe what you want, but i’m going to watch, pray, and wait for my Jesus. Be encouraged, never stop doing good, keeping your eyes on the sky. Jesus is coming again.
What do you think?
Thank you for listening. i’m Social Porter with Living In His Name ministries.