God is coming

This is a statement that is often said by different people. We hear it said that “God is coming” but is He really? It often seems like maybe He is coming but perhaps He had to stop on the way for a bathroom break. Or maybe He is coming but He got caught in 5pm/I-65 Nashville traffic. Neither of these is true of course. We can rest assured knowing that His arrival won’t be a second delayed. He IS going to come and He WILL set everything right.

It is true that Christ yearns to show up in the wildernesses in our lives. For this reason, we must not wish to avoid these hard times in our lives. At the time where we feel most alone, the situation seems most hopeless, and we feel we’ve been worn the thinnest, is where God promises to come in ultimate fashion and save. He is currently in the process of making everything right in the lives of His followers but He also is coming.

He is here now and He is coming (to work in our specific situation). Embrace the storm because it’s in this time that God is able to grow us. Believe that He promises to bring you through it (whatever “it” is). Resolution will eventually come (though maybe not how you expected).

More importantly, He is also coming in the final sense of the statement. (This is one reason I serve the God I serve. None but God is big enough to make such a vast statement.) Whatever wilderness you are currently in, know that He sees you and He is coming (to save).

But when you ask? The short answer (because no one could know for sure other than Him) is when He sees fit (which thankfully is the PERFECT time). I know it’s hard. And I too, often feel like a sense of closure will never come but trust His timing. His promises are true. He specializes in showing up when we need it most (Rom 5:6).

He will right every wrong.

A day is coming soon where every orphan will have parents.

Where no one will have to go hungry.

Where the heartbroken will no longer be trampled on but comforted.

Where we we will have no reason to cry.

Death will be a foreign concept.

Where we will be able to fully experience Christ and never be away from His presence.

But until He does come remember “God is coming.” HOLD ON. . .

• {Isaiah 35:4} say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, He will come. . He will come to save you. . .”

• {Matthew 28:19b} I am with you always, even to the end of the world.

Just a little bit of what I’ve been blessed to hear as of late at the gathering I’m a part of. To hear this truth further expounded upon/more eloquently explained click HERE.

. . . Still

When one thinks about the English language, it’s not difficult to quickly see parts of it that are amazing. One of these facts is the importance of one word. One word added or omitted can wholly change the meaning of a statement. When you get down to it, we can easily see the enormous amount of meaning placed in just one minute word.

A word that jumped out at me as of late is “still.” Now this isn’t a super cool word. I’d venture to guess that there isn’t one person who would name “still” as their #1 All-Time Favorite Word (for the record, mine is wowzers). Regardless, it is a word that is important and carries adjacent implications with it. Look at Job 2:3 :

And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.

Job was one of the richest men of his time. He loses all his riches, all his children die, and much more. Despite all this, God says that he still holds fast his integrity. Although a storm is literally destroying everything in his life, he remains focused on God and His way. He has purposed in his heart that he will not compromise and take the oft traveled, easy way out. How great it would feel for God to say that same thing about me. That regardless of what part of my life is turned upside down, despite the many questions present right alongside my shaky faith, I am able (by God’s strength) to still hold to my integrity and my faith in Christ who saves.

The word still means “up to this point.” But coupled with the word holds it is saying he “has been and is continuing to _______.” This miniscule word still hints that some has time has passed. It hints that situations have occurred that could otherwise have stopped him from still holding on. Job did not allow his circumstances to dictate his joy (I’ll discuss joy in a later post).

I’m trying to learn from Job. I pray that come what may, God will allow me to still remain focused on Him, even on the (seemingly) crappy side of my present trials. God is still on my side. I still am holding on to His promises despite how hard life is. I am still confident He will do what’s best. Join me??

What are you living for?

I admit this is a pretty in-depth question for my first post. Little too deep? . . maybe. But I’m not sure we have time to remain shallow like a kiddie pool. So again I ask, what are you living for? What did you spend most of your time doing this past week?

Unless you spent most of this past week doing nothing (which is still something) you have something that is a major time consumer (phew?! my b on the -nothing overload). So what was it? And no, I’m not talking about sleeping or eating or working. What did you do most beyond that?

Oddly enough, I think a lot of people would answer this question with “nothing.” But let’s be real, there’s something you must have been doing if you actually break it down. If you say you did “nothing” you’re essentially saying “I’m living for nothing.” {Can’t think of a worse place to be than to be living, every second of every day, but not know what you are living for. If this is you, can I suggest finding something (preferably, the only thing) worth living for. Personally, I’m of the belief that living for anything other than Christ equates to nothing.}

So reassess your last week because I believe it’ll give a quick snapshot of your life as a whole. Does what you say you’re living for match up to how you’re actually living?

You say you love your family. Do you spend ample time showing them it’s real and more than just words? You say you love your coworkers. If we randomly polled them would they admit this is obvious by how you treat them? You say you love God. Did you give Him more than 1.5 hours on Sunday and radio rights to and from church? If God is most important to you are you spending most of your thoughts, free time, and efforts living with this in mind?

I admit this may not be a fool proof way to test what you consider most important but it is a pretty good indicator. Whatever I consider most important should be what dominates most of my thoughts. And not only my thoughts but my time as well. Simply put we make time for what’s important.

Love is action (best example I have of this is Rom 5:8) . It’s so much more than just empty words. It’s actually only after one’s love is supported by action that words become meaningful. So be mindful concerning who/what you say you love as well as who you let say they love you. If there’s a disconnect between love and action then a change needs to be made. If not, I would begin to question the validity of this said love.

“Time is your most precious gift because you only have a set amount of it. You can make more money, but you can’t make more time. When you give someone your time, you are giving them a portion of your life that you’ll never get back. Your time is your life. That is why the greatest gift you can give someone is your time.
It is not enough to just say relationships are important; we must prove it by investing time in them. Words alone are worthless. “My children, our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action.” Relationships take time and effort, and the best way to spell love is “T-I-M-E.”

―Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here for?

-jd