While We Wait* (Part 1)

It is all very fresh in our memories, for it happened not many days ago: May 21, 2011.  It was supposed to be the end.  The final day.  Humankind was supposed to “meet its Maker”.  The Lord was to have returned—or at least thus saith famed Harold Camping.  So many sold all they had, walked away from jobs, traveled far and wide to make sure they went to heaven from a specific place…but it never happened.  Of course, this is not the first time these sort of events have played themselves out in human history.  I could recount the numerous dates and surrounding events, but this blog is really not the place—nor does it contain the space—to do so.  Suffice it to say, nothing new happens under the sun.  

The Bible clearly states that CHRIST IS RETURNING (Halleluiah!) but that it is not for us to know when He will be returning.  “…For the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.” (Luke 12:40b, ESV) So, what do we do while we wait for our Redeemer to come and set all things right and new again?  

I obviously cannot ever wish, nor do I even hope, to ever cover all the things we should be doing, but as I meditated upon the previous verses from Psalm 62, I could not help but begin to think of this question that is the foundation of our daily Christian living.  So, this is where the Lord has lead me today (thus the reason for "Part 1"-- only God knows how many parts there will actually be to this!=)

Luke 12:35-40 “Stay dressed for action…be like men who are WAITING for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes…Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes…If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants!  But know this, that is the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into.  You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

While we wait, then, WE STAY DRESSED FOR ACTION!  We remain ready!  We remain looking heaven-ward!  We wait eagerly! We wait in great anticipation!  Let us not grow weary and so drugged with busyness that we forget Who’s coming!   Christ will not fail us.  He has promised us His return.  Hebrews 9:28 says, “so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him.” (ESV)

In Romans 8:19-24 we read, “For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God…creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God…we ourselves…groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.  For in this hope we were saved…we wait for it with patience.” (ESV)  If creation itself waits eagerly, we too, as part of creation, must also wait eagerly.  We wait with stillness (Psalm 62) and we wait with eagerness and anticipation.*

 “Christians” have sort of become the laughing stock of the world now.  Though this has been happening for many years these most recent events have really brought this fact to light.  But we can trust the Truth of the Bible that He will come again.  And He has told us, that when He does return, He wants to find us dressed for action and ready for His appearance. 

When He comes will He find you waiting eagerly?

*The waiting we talked about a few days ago was from the Hebrew word ‘damam’ meaning:  to be/grow silent, still, ceasing.  Today’s waiting is rooted in the Greek word ‘prosdechomai’ or ‘apekdechomai’ both containing the meaning of looking forward with anticipation.  (And if you know how to pronounce any of those words, I just might take you out for coffee!)