Watch and Wait

Christ is coming soon, maybe today! All the signs point to His imminent return. Like we say at Christmas time, “Christmas is in the air,” I say, “Jesus’ soon return is in the air.” The day has been set in the heavenlies with the Father God and now that Jesus is back at the Father’s right hand I am sure He is in on the exact day and time. After Christ comes back to catch- up those who are His there will be no more time only blissful eternity with Him. The Lord will not delay His promise, according to some people’s conception of slowness, but He is patient toward all because He doesn’t desire that any should perish but that all should turn from sin and embrace Him as Savior and the only way to the Father (II Pet.3:9). So in His perfect timing “the day of the Lord will come like a thief” (II Pet.3:10). Just as we do not expect a thief to rob us, we none-the-less prepare for the possibility of being plundered by locking our doors, putting our money in the bank and our valuables in a safe place. But we are still shocked and surprised when it happens.

In like manner, most will not be expecting Jesus or watching for Him to soon return (II Pet.3:10). We must prepare ourselves for the second coming of Jesus Christ by “repenting.” To repent means “to change your mind.” Each of us must see that we are a sinful person and cannot live or even fellowship with this holy, one and only, eternal God. We must see ourselves as sinners (and not just a good person) in need of a Savior and “turn” from our sinful life to Christ and let Him cleanse us from sin to make us acceptable to the Father. We cannot become a child of God by working on our bad habits, doing good works, joining a church or doing anything of ourselves. It is only by trusting in Jesus as the one and only Savior to forgive us of all our sins, past, present and future and make a determined decision to follow Him (Eph.2:8,9). By that simple decision we become a “child of God” and He will do all the changing, remaking and restoring that is needed in our hearts and lives. This is what Jesus called being “born again and becoming a new creation” (Jn.3:3). Old things pass away and all things become new (II Cor.5:17), all of this because God loved us enough to send Jesus, His Son, to die for our sins so we could live with a Holy Father eternally. This is our hope for being among those caught-up by Him.

Only the Father knows when all who will come to Him has come and that is the day the Lord will return for His own. Are you ready? Have you trusted in Him as your Savior? Are you watching and waiting for Him? We should wake every day with the anticipation that this may be the day and live each day as if it might be “The Day of the Coming of the Lord!” Please read, II Pet.3:1-15.

I hope to see you in the air, if we are still alive at His coming, or in heaven if He chooses to take us home before.

Mary Jones