Waiting for Jesus
Scripture Reading — Revelation 7:9-17
?I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book.?
Revelation 22:7
One of the hardest spiritual disciplines is to wait eagerly for Jesus to return. Some believers complain that every day that passes makes the wait harder. Others happily claim that every passing day brings us one day closer to Jesus? return. It takes the double discipline of patience and trust to live and wait every day in anticipation of Jesus? coming.
Our daughter Erika and son-in-law Tim learned some of that discipline from their young daughter. One Sunday not long ago they took their twins Lucas and Ella to worship for the first time. The children stayed in the sanctuary for the opening of the worship service. Then they moved downstairs to children?s worship.
Later that afternoon Ella was crying about something. After she began calming down, she said to Erika, ?No cryin?, Mom.? Erika replied, ?I know, Ella; you?ve been crying for quite a while, but you?re almost done.?
?No, Mom. No more cryin? when the King.?
Erika was puzzled for a moment; then it dawned on her: In morning worship they had sung, ?Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King... No more cryin? there?we are goin? to see the King...?
Regardless of age, when do we start learning the discipline of waiting for Jesus? Maybe when we?re crying. That?s when we need to know that the King is near.
Dear Jesus, it?s hard for us to wait eagerly yet patiently for you to return. When we cry or laugh, play or work, help us believe like children that you?re coming soon. Amen.
About the author — James and Rose Dekker
James C. Dekker is the pastor of Covenant Christian Reformed Church in St. Catharines, Ontario. Previously he served other congregations in Alberta and Ontario. Rose Dekker serves as a refugee coordinator for the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee in Canada. She also serves as a certified spiritual director. The Dekkers were missionaries for nine years with Christian Reformed World Missions, serving in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Venezuela, and Cuba.
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