Our world is constantly changing. The pace at which we live is fast and furious, in constant pursuit of some everchanging goal. Like greyhounds chasing a mechanical rabbit around a track, we keep running and running and by the end of each day we exhaustedly fall into bed for a few hours of sleep before we start all over again the next day. Of course, before we can actually fall asleep we must spend more of our precious time checking email, Facebook, Instagram, etc.
So, what happens if we want to get off the track? Will the world end or will our lives be destroyed? Maybe the thought of getting off the track terrifies some of us, because if we exit the race, the world will keep running at its breakneck pace leaving us in its dust. Can we fall to the back of the pack, slowing to a stroll rather than continuing at a sprint?
God’s pace will always remain steadfast as He advances with fierce determination toward the fulfillment of time. God always has been and always will be the same. He is the same God who strolled in the garden with Adam enjoying long conversations and explaining the world He created. He is the same God who parted the Red Sea and dried the ground for the Israelites to walk through, while holding back the armies of Egypt with a pillar of fire. He is the same God who, in His infinite mercy, sent His precious son Jesus to be a sacrifice for our sin and to bring us into fellowship with Him. He is the same God who has unwaveringly fulfilled every prophecy set forth in His Word, determining the date of Christ’s return and patiently waiting for the fullness of time before He sounds the trumpet.
Think about that. Today we went about our daily routine – showering, brushing our teeth, drinking coffee, sitting in traffic, working, playing, fixing dinner, watching television – and at any one of those moments the trumpet could have sounded, initiating a brand new timeline. God concluded the Bible with:
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“He who testifies to these things says,
‘Yes, I am coming soon.’
Amen.
Come, Lord Jesus.
The grace of the Lord Jesus
be with God’s people. Amen.”
(Revelation 22:20-21)
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Do we truly long for His coming? We have our lives planned out . . . birthdays, anniversaries, parties, holidays, projects, vacations . . . there are so many things we are looking forward to, but how often do we stop and look forward to the return of Jesus and eternity spent in Heaven with Him? If asked, we would truthfully answer “sometimes,” but how often do we put it on the back burner, anticipating the things we have planned in this life more? Have you ever hoped that Jesus would wait to return until after … something? It is good to plan for things in our lives, but we need to put Heaven on the top of that list, making certain that we are always ready and that we are conscious of the call to bring along as many souls with us as we possibly can.
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“Israel has experienced a hardening
in part until the full number
of the Gentiles has come in…”
(Romans 11:25b)
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To me this verse evokes an image of a giant tote board in Heaven, constantly tallying the number of Gentile souls being brought into eternal relationship with Jesus. One day that number will be reached, and the trumpet will sound, signaling His return.
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“And I heard a loud voice from the
throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place
is now among the people,
and he will dwell with them. They will
be his people, and God himself
will be with them and be their God.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes.
There will be no more death
or mourning or crying or pain,
for the old order of things
has passed away.”
(Revelation 21:3-4)
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“The old order of things” kind of sounds like all our planning and furious pursuit of earthly things, doesn’t it? The things that seem so urgent to us in the moment will become completely irrelevant. God desires for us to slow down, not so that we accomplish less, but so that we focus on Him more and our priorities shift to accomplishing the things He desires for us and for His Purpose. That is where we will find true peace.
Maybe we should loosen our grip on the plans we hold on to so tightly, reprioritizing the things we look forward to with such excitement. The plans God has for us are far beyond “anything we could ever ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20) and redirecting our focus to His plans will surely change the perspective with which we anticipate our futures.
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