Anticipation

Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him (Luke 12:35-36)

Avid moviegoers, comic book enthusiasts, and Marvel fans like myself have been waiting months to see the new Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer. And finally, after months of anticipation, filmmakers Marvel and Sony have announced that it will be released tonight at 8:30 PM. I'm quite excited to see what the filmmakers have in store for audiences next month when the movie hits theaters December 17th. In fact, I find myself talking about it quite often. I've even gone as far as obsessing about it, clicking on articles before bed that discuss every single rumor about the movie. After all, waiting for something exciting is...well, it's exciting.

Children spend most of December getting hyped for Christmas, workers literally count down the days until their vacation, and engaged couples throw multiple parties leading up to their wedding day (engagement party, bachelor/bachelorette party, rehearsal dinner). That being said, you know where to find me tonight as I await the movie trailer. I'll be on YouTube at 8:30, refreshing the page. And as I think about what I will be doing, the Holy Spirit is speaking to me both lovingly and truthfully. If I can get so worked up and excited about something temporal and earthly like a movie, how much more should I be eagerly awaiting my Savior?

The truth is, I sometimes feel like I'm not eagerly anticipating Christ's return. The Bible demonstrates that He will come back for His bride, the church. I follow Christ and I derive so much pleasure worshiping Him - so shouldn't this be thrilling? Why don't I find myself obsessing over Him before bed like I do movies? The more I write about this, the answers become more and more obvious. In my last blog, I shared how it's important to be a heavenly minded person. What I'm experiencing is attachment to this world and the things of this world. My mind is not fixed on heaven above and eternity, rather, it's fixed on everything I see around me which will one day pass away. I'm not here to beat myself up or feel guilty about it because I know that as long as I'm here in this body, there will be a struggle between heaven and earth for my affection and loyalty.

Though it's expected that we will have these moments, I do not believe it's okay to be content with them. That's exactly why I'm writing about this today. I want to be at the door, waiting for Christ to return. I don't want to be off doing my own thing, not considering that time is fleeting and people are perishing. You see, in all likelihood, Christ will not return in your lifetime. Maybe He will. But more likely than not, there's a very good chance you will leave your body on earth before He returns. In other words, we need to be prepared to meet Him at any given time. Read below the Parable of the Ten Virgins...

“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ “ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. (Matthew 25:1-13)

We don't know the day, nor the hour that we will meet Christ. But when that hour arrives, if we are not prepared to meet Him, the reality of that moment will be DEVASTATING. I cannot emphasize that enough: IT WILL BE DEVASTATING. The unprepared, in that moment, will realize that they have missed their opportunity to receive God's grace and forgiveness. And it will become a terrifying reality that this not only means permanent separation from God, but it will also mean eternal torment. Take note, the five that were foolish in the parable were lined up to be part of the wedding. In other words, you might attend church, pray, and feel like you're headed in the right direction because you have identified yourself as a Christian. But if your bags aren't packed and ready to go...you'll miss your flight.

By the way, I'm sorry if this is too much. Actually, I really shouldn't be sorry. We're not talking about Spider-Man or movies anymore. I'm thinking about my life and yours. Isn't your life and existence too precious and fragile to be treated with any less priority and urgency? God has given YOU and ME and EVERYONE a lifeline to eternity and HIS NAME IS JESUS. God's own Son shed His blood on the Cross as payment for our sins. His love for us should transform us and if it truly does, we should see the evidence. That is why I'm not okay having moments like before where I think to myself..."Not yet, Jesus." This is unacceptable. For Christ, I want to be like my daughter who runs to me when I pick her up from school. I want to run to Him too, full speed. Because I know that where I'm standing today is a sinking ship, destined to perish for eternity.

That being said, we do have a purpose for being here on this sinking ship and I believe we pack our bags (prepare ourselves) through actions that clearly demonstrate that we understand this purpose and seek to fulfill it. And that purpose is to point everyone in the direction of the only lifeboat that floats, to gather and save as many lives as we can, before the ocean swallows us up. So while we wait in anticipation of Christ's return (or our going to be with Him), will you join me in this rescue mission? Will you become part of God's eternal plan?

And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. (Revelation 22:12)