Revelation 22:20. He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
And so with this prayer, Come Lord Jesus, the Revelation and our year of To Live is Christ comes to an end.
Is this your prayer for the new year? Come Lord Jesus? Do you desperately desire the return of Christ? What keeps you from praying for Jesus’ return? What prevents his second advent from being your greatest longing and your greatest hope? What keeps the return of the King from being your best thought by day and by night?
Maybe there’s still a latent fear deep inside of you of seeing Jesus? A fear of his return in a judgment that you might not survive. A fear that seeing Jesus will result in only your shame and his disgust.
But are you in Christ or not? Was the cross effective or not? Are you God’s adopted child? Are you betrothed to Jesus? Are you clothed in his purifying love that removes all fear of punishment? Are you dressed in his righteousness alone, by grace alone, through faith alone? If yes, then there is nothing to fear.
Or maybe you aren’t excited about the return of Christ because you have set all your hopes and dreams upon this present world? Do you fear that if Jesus came back today you might actually miss out on some great pleasure that you haven’t had yet? Marriage? Sex? Grandkids? A dream vacation? A dream job? Something on your bucket list?
Or maybe you’ve just simply forgotten that Jesus IS coming again. He promises it here at the end of the Revelation – Surely I am coming soon. Soon? It’s been two thousand years. Is that soon?
Peter explained that to our Lord a thousand years is as a day, and a day is as a thousand years, and that God is patiently waiting so that more and more hearts might turn to the free grace of Jesus Christ. And so in his love he waits. And in love we wait for him. Are you still waiting in hope, faith, and love? Or have you forgotten and moved on to other, seemingly closer and more manageable hopes?
Or maybe you just haven’t let the transcendent beauty of Revelation 21 and 22, the glories that await all who are in Jesus, grip your imagination. Admittedly, they are beyond what eye has seen, and ear has heard, and mind has conceived (1 Cor. 2:9). But they ARE your destiny. Can you see yourself there?
Can you see yourself before the throne of the living God?
Can you see yourself overwhelmed with the beauty of God’s presence?
Can you see yourself looking into the face of God as he gently wipes away all your tears?
Can you see yourself living on a newly healed Earth?
Can you see yourself living in a community that is completely free from pride, jealousy, resentment, hatred, or agendas?
Can you see yourself living in the New Jerusalem, walking with Jesus on streets of gold, around the glassy sea?
Can you see yourself at the feast with all the saints?
Can you see yourself drinking freely from the river of life, and eating freely from the tree of life?
Can you see yourself living free from all fears and all limits?
Can you see yourself living in a world without racism, sexism, oppression, injustice, war, or walls?
Can you see a life of never being sick, never hurt, never stressed, never depressed, and never anxious for anything?
Can you see yourself loving so fully, so deeply, so freely, from a truly pure heart?
This revelation of eternal life in Christ is how the Bible ends. But for those who are in Christ, this revelation is only the beginning. May we today and every day pray, “Come Lord Jesus!”, while we remember that our Lord Jesus has already come into our hearts. This new year may we live as if “to live is Christ.”
You
What do you look forward to this new year? How can it point you to Christ?
You in Christ
Christ has come into your heart and is coming again soon. How will these two realities encourage you this new year?
Christ in you
Take some time to read Revelation 21-22 and imagine yourself there. How does it change your perspective?
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Playlist: Come Lord Jesus.
Click Here to this playlist on Spotify!
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To see today’s post from the TLIC Family blog –> Click Here
To Live is Christ 