He is Coming Back

-


Scripture: Mark 13:24-27 (ESV)

24 “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

Devotion:

            As we are waiting for Jesus' incarnation at Christmas time, we should also look forward to Jesus return at the end of the age. The two are related in scripture. First, these two events though they never occur side by side in the scripture nevertheless both involve waiting for God to act in the future.

            The shepherds to whom the angels of the Lord appeared on that first Christmas, though they were not specifically waiting for the incarnation they were waiting like all good Jews for the coming of the Messiah. In the same way, since Jesus ascended into heaven, people have been waiting passively for the return of the Lord described in these verses.

            Many remained unchanged by Jesus first appearance on the earthly scene. His second coming will be different. Accompanied by all the great signs in heaven Jesus will come again in a way that no one can possibly miss. Those who look forward to his coming will rejoice. Those who do not look forward to his return will be terrified.

            Which kind of person will we be at Jesus’ return? The choice is ours today. Let us prepare for Jesus coming during this season of advent. We must not wait to begin our relationship with him. While we may not be able to predict the exact hour or day of his return, we know that Jesus will return. And his return is now one day closer than it was yesterday. Let us pray that we will be ready for his return.

Prayer:

            Lord, we want to prepare our hearts for Jesus return right now. Lead us to repent of our sins and believe that Jesus is our Lord and Savior. Break up the soil of our hearts hardened by living in this modern world. Make them ready and willing to be obedient to your will. Help us to share our love for you with our neighbors and friends so that all will be ready for your return. Amen.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Welcoming the Unwelcome

-
  Scripture: Luke 7:36-38 (NIV) 36  When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37  A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38  As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and poured perfume on them. Devotion:             First of all, some warnings to my readers. This post will exceed the 500 words I try to limit my posts. Second, this post will contain content people may find offensive or otherwise unfit for print. Please understand that my purpose is neither to offend nor upset but to provoke thought and, hopefully, respectful dialog.             We will use Luke chapter seven as an aid to interpreting the events that occurred last Thursday at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. On that da
Read more

Father Forgive Them

-
  Scripture: Luke 23:33-34 (ESV) 33  And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34  And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Devotion:             The situation Jesus finds himself in here in today’s scripture is difficult for us to even imagine. A sham trial, no credible accusations of any kind, let alone any deserving of death, and yet here he is. A brilliant Rabbi, a teacher of the people who never led even one person astray from God’s will. This Holy One of God soon to be food for vultures.             This man who had done nothing wrong had no one in all the crowds who would speak up in his defense lest they be next to face the cross. An innocent man hung between two scoundrels. No voice from heaven declaring that this was the man that they were killing was actually the true Son of God. (See Matthew 3:17, Matthew 17:5, John 12:28) No the heaven
Read more

Transgenderism letter

-
  This is a copy of my letter to my senators, representative, and President Biden. January 15, 2024 Dear President Biden, Senators T. Duckworth, R. Durbin, and Representative D. LaHood             I am writing to you because I am concerned about the situation affecting our children and grandchildren, namely transitioning them from one gender to another. This nation must adjust course concerning these “interventions” because they are dangerous, irreversible, and life-changing. Our country should not be permitting these procedures on minor children under any circumstances. We must also make sure that adults who seek this care are given informed consent as to the risks versus benefits of sex reassignment treatments.             There are many drawbacks to gender-affirming care for minors. Besides the loss of any ability to give or receive sexual pleasure and sterility these treatments cause, there are social and psychological effects that we have no way of identifying because these
Read more