While We Wait...
When Jesus was leaving the earth, He promised to come back for the believers. He was going to prepare a place for us and when all is set, He would come for us, so that wherever He is, there we would also be. It’s been a long time He left and since then, believers have been waiting for His return. Unfortunately, things have gone wrong while waiting. The love of some has waxed cold. Some have backslid. Some have gone into heresy and some have abandoned the truth and replaced it with outright lies even in the Church.
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. Matthew 24:12
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron. 1 Timothy 4:1-2
Things have gone wrong since Jesus left. Most Christians no longer focus on His return. They have chosen other things as their priority. Many have abandoned the true faith. Many are tired of waiting. Some no longer love the Lord as they used to.
We were forewarned of the Lord’s delay in returning, so that it wouldn’t take us unawares. Jesus warned us ahead with the parable of the virgins and other parables and teachings He gave. In the parable of the virgins, the bridegroom tarried in coming. He told us this parable to prepare us so that we wouldn’t get tired or lose hope in the long wait. As we expect the return of the Messiah, we should not get tired, get distracted or be removed from the truth.
Concerning His delay, there’s a reason. God intends for as many as possible, if not all to come to repentance. For this reason, He is delaying in His return. He isn’t interested in losing any of His children.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9
While we wait, we are not just to fold our arms doing nothing. The Lord expects us to get busy for His Kingdom. Immediately you are saved through Jesus Christ, you’ve been recruited into His service. Here is what the Lord says we must be busy doing while we wait for His return.
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15
Ye are the salt of the earth… Ye are the light of the world… Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:13, 14 & 16
This is a clarion call for all believers. You don’t need a pastoral position to obey this command. You don’t need a crusade ground before you keep it. It’s for all believers of Jesus Christ, young and old, male and female. As we live our regular lives waiting for the Lord, whatever capacity we find ourselves, we are to preach the Gospel to the people we meet everyday. The Lord commanded us to do so. It’s our duty. While we were lost, someone preached to us and we were saved. The Lord commands us to do same to others who are lost, so that they become children of the Most High God with us.
Another thing the Lord commanded us is our way of life. We are the salt and light of the world. Our way of life must be different from the way of life of sinners. We can’t live like the sinful world because we have been saved from sin and its clutches. We must shine as light and show the world the way. Jesus said when we shine through our works of righteousness and by our lifestyle, the world will join us and glorify God. Our works which is by the grace of Jesus Christ will attract men to God and get them converted and saved.
We are not to wait for the return of the King in idleness. We are commanded to get busy for the Kingdom. We tell others of what Jesus did on the cross for us and of His imminent return. We warn them of the damnation and consequences of rejecting the grace of God through His Son Jesus Christ.
Preach the Gospel and shine as light from where you are. That’s our duty as believing Christians who have been saved and sanctified. We must be committed to this task so that when Jesus appears, we would not be found wanting in anything. Remember that you must be prepared at all times yourself, as you work for the Kingdom. Be prepared and get others prepared while you wait. We do not know how long we’ll have to wait, but we know what is expected of us while we wait.
Posted: October 31, 2018 06:43 pm
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