Come, Lord Jesus
“Yes, I am coming soon!” - Jesus
“Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations. No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. And there will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.” – Revelation 22:1-5 NLT
The book of Revelation closes with a breathtaking promise: God dwelling with His people, His throne at the center, and His life-giving presence healing all pain. One day, God will step fully into our broken world and make all wrongs right, all pain vanish, and all things whole.
As I have grappled with the realities of the broken world around us these past few weeks, I’ve found my heart longing for Christ’s return. Yet, just like the news cycle quickly shifts, that longing often fades. If I'm not careful, my focus drifts back to lesser pursuits, and my prayers center only on today.
I realize that is not all bad. There is nothing wrong with praying for today. In fact, I could make a theological argument that we are called to pray for today, so pray for today I will continue to do. But if my prayers are just for today, I risk anchoring my hope in today instead of His return.
The great hope of our faith is Christ’s return. It’s not that all things get made right before then, but that He will make all things right on that glorious day. The pain, suffering, and despair we encounter are meant to awaken us. They remind us that we are eternal beings made in the image of the eternal God. While I’ve been forgiven of my sin, sin is still present here on earth, and we see the ramifications of sin all around.
There are moments that we are numb to it. It’s so present we don’t even know it’s there. Other times, we are jarred awake by their weight and see the brokenness so clearly. It’s in these moments that my heart and soul long for His return, for the end of this great mess and the dawn of His eternal reign.
My prayer is that I will not fall back asleep but remain awake. My prayer is for our church to do the same. That when He comes, we would have our light lit, our hearts burning, and our eyes watching.
“He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!” – Revelation 22:20 NLT
For thousands of years, the church’s prayer has been “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!”
Prayer | Come quickly, Lord Jesus. My heart aches for the day when You will wipe away every tear, heal every wound, and make all things new. Forgive me when I grow distracted and place my hope in lesser things. Keep me awake and watchful, with my lamp burning bright and my eyes fixed on You. Until You return, strengthen me to live faithfully, to pray with expectancy, and to trust that You are the One who holds all things together. Amen.
“Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations. No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. And there will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.” – Revelation 22:1-5 NLT
The book of Revelation closes with a breathtaking promise: God dwelling with His people, His throne at the center, and His life-giving presence healing all pain. One day, God will step fully into our broken world and make all wrongs right, all pain vanish, and all things whole.
As I have grappled with the realities of the broken world around us these past few weeks, I’ve found my heart longing for Christ’s return. Yet, just like the news cycle quickly shifts, that longing often fades. If I'm not careful, my focus drifts back to lesser pursuits, and my prayers center only on today.
I realize that is not all bad. There is nothing wrong with praying for today. In fact, I could make a theological argument that we are called to pray for today, so pray for today I will continue to do. But if my prayers are just for today, I risk anchoring my hope in today instead of His return.
The great hope of our faith is Christ’s return. It’s not that all things get made right before then, but that He will make all things right on that glorious day. The pain, suffering, and despair we encounter are meant to awaken us. They remind us that we are eternal beings made in the image of the eternal God. While I’ve been forgiven of my sin, sin is still present here on earth, and we see the ramifications of sin all around.
There are moments that we are numb to it. It’s so present we don’t even know it’s there. Other times, we are jarred awake by their weight and see the brokenness so clearly. It’s in these moments that my heart and soul long for His return, for the end of this great mess and the dawn of His eternal reign.
My prayer is that I will not fall back asleep but remain awake. My prayer is for our church to do the same. That when He comes, we would have our light lit, our hearts burning, and our eyes watching.
“He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!” – Revelation 22:20 NLT
For thousands of years, the church’s prayer has been “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!”
Prayer | Come quickly, Lord Jesus. My heart aches for the day when You will wipe away every tear, heal every wound, and make all things new. Forgive me when I grow distracted and place my hope in lesser things. Keep me awake and watchful, with my lamp burning bright and my eyes fixed on You. Until You return, strengthen me to live faithfully, to pray with expectancy, and to trust that You are the One who holds all things together. Amen.
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