Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Snap (09/04/08)
-
TITLE: Waiting for Jesus | Previous Challenge Entry
By Sarah Heywood
09/10/08 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
As time went on, though, I remember hoping that Jesus would delay his return. I have a vivid memory of being invited to a neighbor girl’s birthday party, being so excited about it, and actually praying that Jesus would not come back until after the party! As I grew older, I would still think about the day of the Lord’s return, but silently hope that He would continue to wait so that I could grow up, get married, have babies, and live out my life - then I’d be ready for Heaven!
I am about to the midpoint of my life and, as Jesus has tarried, I have done a lot of the things I had hoped to as a younger girl. Now my perspective has pretty much reversed itself. I have a husband, four sons, and extremely busy days. Stress comes from many different sources these days. There’s the stress of being Mom. I have the stress of parenting a special needs child. I home school. Both my husband and I have health issues. Financial burdens often cause my stomach to churn as I view upcoming expenses and the ever-growing stack of bills on my desk. And there’s always relationship stresses, whether it be with my children, my husband, or extended family and friends. I don’t view my life as a bleak, hopeless expanse, but there are many times I find myself telling the Lord, “If you’d like to come back today, I wouldn’t complain!“ There are times that I think escaping with the Rapture is the only way I will make it through!
And while I would truly welcome the return of the Lord, I recognize that His coming back isn’t meant to offer me a way out of my daily trials. Indeed, in the parable of the Ten Talents, found in Luke 19, the master says to his servants, “…occupy until I come.” Other translations say, “do business” or something to the same effect. If we were just to sit around, waiting on the return of the Lord, it wouldn’t have mattered to the master in this story if all the servants buried their money like the one did. But, the servant that actually did something with what he had been given was the one that was rewarded.
The apostle Paul likened our life to running a race and even said in Phil 3:14, “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God.” Commentary suggests that the “prize” in this passage is that of Christ-likeness and the “upward call” is literally the time that we, as Christians, are called upward to Heaven. That’s pretty clear instruction on what we’re supposed to be doing while we await Christ’s return. And the author of Hebrews encourages us in chapter 12, verse 1 to, “…run with endurance the race that is set before us.” As much as I would like to, I can’t find anywhere in the Bible that says it is ok to yearn for Jesus’ return as a way out of my daily stresses!
My job while I wait is pretty clear. I am to work hard, endure trials, and look forward to Heaven as I go through life. One way or the other, either by death or the Rapture, I am going to go to Heaven one day. The hard parts of life are going to fade away and all I’m going to be thinking about is how glorious and wonderful it is to be in the presence of God and my Savior for eternity. And if I have the opportunity to look back on my life, I’ll see how quickly it went, how it was over in just a snap of the fingers, so to speak. Until then, I occupy, enduring the hard parts, yes, but also cherishing the sweet times and gifts that I have during this very temporal time of life on earth.
Scripture quoted from New King James version of the Bible
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
