JOHN 12:15 – Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!
THEME OF THE DAY. ARE WE READY? We are going to start today’s nugget abruptly with two quick questions requiring immediate answers. No pondering, no “let me think about it”. Nope. Right now, look into an imaginary mirror and ask, “When is the last time I thought about the Second Coming of my Lord Jesus?” and “Is His Second Coming determining daily my priorities and how I am investing my resources of self, time, talent, and treasure?”
The reason why we started today’s nugget abruptly is because our seeing Jesus will be abrupt either by death or His coming. We don’t know the timing of either so sudden it shall be. So based on that certain fact that we are soon going to Behold, the King in His coming, what difference should it be making in our lives? Well, here are two applications. Both come from the Apostle John’s first letter.
The first application is thinking about the Second Coming of Christ produces zeal in living all of life for Him – And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming (1 John 2:28). Ponder this. If we knew Jesus was coming one hour from now, wouldn’t we be living in light of that amazing reality? We would have an “eye to the sky” for sure. We also would not be toying with temptation or anything else that might cause shame at His coming. Zealous Christian living would characterize that last hour. And should it not do so all our days since we know not the hour of His appearing?
Another application of thinking on Christ’s return for Christian living is that it produces Christ-like holiness in us – Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure (1 John 3:2-3). In God’s mysterious, yet always wise and good ways, He is telling us the more we look unto Jesus and behold His glory in prayer, the Word, and obedience, anticipating His appearing, the more we are transformed into His image. To get a good understanding of this spiritual transformation process, spend prayerful time meditating upon 2 Corinthians 3:18 and Hebrews 12:1-2. What a great and wonderful God He is that would do such work in us by simply learning to look and live unto Jesus!
So, the question now begs to be asked . . . “Are we ready for Jesus’ return?” We answer that be seeing how well we are applying today’s nugget – living zealous for Him and pursuing holiness like Him.
PRAYER: “Lord, help me to live today, just today, as if You were coming today.”
QUOTE: “It is the foolish Christian who lives with rarely a thought on facing Jesus at any moment.”