Ways to Prepare for Christ’s Return Day 3: Accept the Uncertainties
Have you ever set a deadline for something thinking you had plenty of time to get that project done and then before you know it that deadline is upon you and you have made little or no progress towards that goal? Time is one of the few things in life that can simultaneously seem like we have both too much and too little. Parents know what I’m talking about. Every parent has had those days where you wonder, “Will they ever grow out of this phase?” while at the same time wondering how they “got so big in the first place, where did the time go?”
The thing about time is that no matter how hard we try, we cannot control it. We cannot slow it down or speed it up. The fact of the matter is, we do not know what the future holds. I once worked with a pastor who would respond to statements like, “See you tonight?” with, “Lord willin’ and the crick don’t rise.” We cannot control time, but we can be intentional about the time we do have and maximize what we do with our time.
At some point, there will come an end to our time on this earth. Either we will come to the end of our life or Christ will return. Matthew 13:32–37 says this concerning the return of Christ:
But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake — for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning — lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.
I’ve noticed in my years of ministry that there tends to be a correlation between the desire of Christians to focus on the end times, and times of chaos and uncertainty in our society. I hardly ever hear anyone tell me that “Jesus is coming soon” when things are peaceful, but when things are chaotic and crazy, I tend to hear an increase in eschatological phrases. It’s almost as though we are viewing the return of Christ as a solution to our pain instead of an event we need to prepare for. The Scriptures are not concerned with when the end will happen as much as the fact that it will happen, and we need to be ready at any moment for it to happen. The Bible is clear that not even Christ knows when He is coming back.
The way we prepare is by maximizing our time, not putting off what God has instructed us to do. That means first wrestling with our own need for a savior. Have you taken time to think and personally reflect on the sacrifice of Christ? Have you accepted the work of grace on the cross? Second, it means we focus on the work God has given us to carry out. Matthew 28:19 says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Is there someone in your life whom you’ve been putting off having a conversation with about where they stand and what they believe about Christ?
We tend to think we have time to get ourselves right before God or to share the gift of forgiveness and salvation with others. In all reality, we do not know how much time is left. The best thing to do is to be diligent in our preparation for the end by seizing moments to receive and share the good news of Jesus Christ.
Adam Deering