Jesus to us: “I am coming soon!”
Us to Jesus: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”
Until then: “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.” (Rev. 22:20-21)
Lord Jesus, how fitting, awesome, and encouraging—the entire Bible, concludes with a glorious promise, a robust response, and the benediction of all benedictions. Until the Day we crave more than any other arrives, you don’t just promise us “getting-by-grace” and “holding-on-grace,” but “grace upon grace“ (Jn.1:16) and “abounding-grace” (2Cor.9:8)—everything we need to live and love, suffer and serve, wait and hope to your glory. Hallelujah and thank you.
I used to be confused by the promise of the “soon-ness” of your return—as though “soon” had to mean within my lifetime—as my late 60’s generation declared with joy and presumption. I now rest in …
- The trustworthiness of your heart
- The generosity of your plan
- The perfection of your timing
- The calendar of your grace
Jesus, you aren’t slow in keeping your promises—none of them, including the hope of your second coming. Hallelujah, heaven measures time differently than we do— “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” (2Pet.3:8-9). I now understand “soon” to mean “certainly”—it’s the tape measure of hope, not a calculation of days. Hallelujah a gazillion times over: We live by the calendar of grace and the tape measure of hope!
Until “the Day,” Jesus, may we worship more and whine less—trust you more and fret less (Ps.37:1). May we go on a wild spending spree with your grace—investing in things that matter, people who are hurting, and relationships that need nurture. “Faith expressing itself in love” matters (Gal.5:6). Worry expressing itself in ulcers and fear expressing itself in anger do not matter. So Very Amen.
