By Becca Hall
If you spend any time at all online, or watching TV, you’ll have heard the latest predictions of when Jesus is going to return. Certain groups of people love using cherry-picked scriptures, twisted news stories and semi-complex mathematical equations from Biblical books to CATEGORICALLY PROVE Jesus will return on X date.
As of September 2024, none of those dates have been accurate – though like many I may occasionally have sent a text message to my seasoned Christian friends and Pastor…just to make sure!
It’s easy to get caught up in the ‘When’. When the world around us feels broken and the chains that bind us sometimes feel unbreakable, looking forward to a certain date is human. But it may also be stealing your joy.
The ‘when’ isn’t the point. If it was, it would be the final verse in the book of Revelation. Instead, Jesus tells us in Mark 13:32 “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.”
Jesus continues, ‘And since you don’t know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert!” (Mark 13:33).
Our time here on Earth could come to an end when Jesus, our returning King comes for his Church. It could also, just as likely, come to an end when our Earthly bodies pass and instead we join our Father in Heaven. None of us know when those times may be, but we do know it can happen at any time. In fact, as you read this we are closer than ever to the Return of Jesus – that is a fact.
We also know we have a finite time here on Earth. To use it to solely to count down to an unknown date is doing the Lord a disservice. He gave us several commandments, and not one was to circumvent his statement that no one shall know.
Instead, we need to use the time we DO have, to fulfill what the Father truly wanted from us. To share the gospel to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19), to be a light, to let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise God (Matthew 5:14-16), to care for the sick and feed the hungry (Matthew 25:35) and mostly to love one another, as He loved us (John 13:34).
We have the knowledge that no one gets to the Father except through Jesus. We know what happens to those who have not accepted him as their Savior. We know Jesus is coming back for us.
We are blessed and privileged to have that knowledge when millions in the world do not. 2 minutes ago we read that Jesus is closer to retuning than ever before – now, he is even closer.
How are you using that knowledge today?
Prayer – Jesus, thank you for the promise we have that you are coming back for your Church and that you will reward those who have been faithful. Lord help us not get caught up in the human side of wanting to know when the time will be. Instead, I ask for your strength and Holy Spirit to be with us as we fulfill your commandments , as we use the knowledge you have given us to minister to others. The knowledge of your life and resurrection, the knowledge that you are our Savior and that we can all be Saved by your grace, the knowledge that you are returning to take us to paradise. Guide our footsteps, clear our paths and open the doors you want us to go through to ensure your will be done. God use us in whatever way you need us. We ask this in your Holy name. Amen.