…when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.–1 John 3:2-3
Probably no generation since Christ ascended into heaven has had so many reasons to believe that His return is near and yet so little confidence that He will. Jesus taught us to pray,”Thy kingdom come”, but when is the last time, or was there ever a time, that you prayed for this?
Jesus promised He would come. Why wouldn’t we expect it? The apostles proclaimed Christ would come, why do we doubt it? Events of the tribulation period, that point to the nearness of His return, are vividly described in the Bible— why do we fail to see the connection? It’s as though the day is dawning and we think it is bed time–we’re mixed up and we’re messed up. How can we be so blind? How can we not long for and pray for the return of our precious Savior? That is our blessed hope!
We don’t hear much preaching about the return of Christ anymore, but that doesn’t change the reality of it. His coming is closer today than it has ever been before. And living in the light of this fact makes a difference in our lives. Believing His return is imminent changes our behavior, creates energy for serving, and comforts our hearts. His coming means our going. Just think about what we’re going to and what we’re going from! That ought to make you shout! It will be glorious.
