Recharge Wednesday Linkup with Debbie Wilson
My husband Larry settled into his seat and prepared for takeoff.
The intercom crackled. “We’re waiting on passengers whose planes just landed. We’ll depart when they arrive,” the pilot said.
What about my connecting flight? Larry thought.
A few minutes later a young mother struggled down the aisle, diaper bag on one arm, baby in the other. A second child held her hand. Larry winced remembering his selfish thoughts.
Once in the air, the pilot said, “We’ll make up the time. You’ll arrive on time for your connecting flights.” The stragglers hadn’t made them late.
Christ’s return feels slow to us, but it will come right on time. Compassion, not apathy, motivates His delay.
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9 NIV).
Working While We Wait for Christ’s Return
Before Jesus ascended into heaven, His disciples wanted to know when He’d set up His kingdom. Like them, I want to know His timetable too.
“He said to them: ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth’” (Acts 1:7-8 NIV).
Jesus’s words remind me of Deuteronomy 29:29. “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law” (NIV). God reveals what we need to know to do His will. If He hasn’t told us—we don’t need to know.
In Acts 1, “you will be my witnesses” sounds like a statement of fact. In Matthew 28:18-22 Jesus presents them as a command. Jesus commands us to be His witnesses, and the Holy Spirit empowers us to be His witnesses.
The Greek word for witness is martys. We get our English word martyr from it. Eleven of the twelve disciples became martyrs in their witness for Christ. Men, who hid after Jesus’s crucifixion, willingly laid down their lives after spending forty days with the risen Christ and receiving the Holy Spirit.
The Bible calls the last seven years before Jesus returns the Great Tribulation. More believers will suffer martyrdom during that time than any time in history.
I believe the church will meet Jesus in the air before the worst comes upon the earth. But I don’t know how bad it will get before the rapture of believers. This leads me to two takeaways.
Takeaways
- The Holy Spirit empowers us to be faithful witnesses. The Spirit uses the Word of God to guide and protect us (Ephes. 6:14-17, Heb. 4:12-12). For the strength to stand and be true to the end, we must continually read God’s word and walk in His Spirit.
- Like the pilot who waited for stragglers, Christ’s delay allows others to be saved. Those who don’t come to Him before the rapture of the church will be left behind to endure the worst persecution in history. “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened” (Matt. 24:22 NIV).
No matter what book of the Bible I’m reading, end times verses continue to pop up. Many of us feel we’ve entered a pivotal time in history. May we be faithful to Christ’s command. It’s time to invite as many as possible to board the plane before takeoff.
“As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work” (Jn. 9:4 NIV).
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I have loved ones that I am hoping and praying will come to believe soon, so I am thankful for God’s gracious delay. With the world in the state it is, I can’t hep thinking Jesus’ return is not far away.
May the Lord grant you desire of your heart, Barbara, and bring them into the fold.
And, it seems just a couple of days to Him. Gathering His saints!
Yes! Thanks, Susan.
Debbie, such a powerful analogy to the pilot and how Christ waits for others to be saved. And not with apathy but compassion, wishing all will call upon His name. May we be His faithful witnesses until His return.
I’m definitely looking forward to His return but, like Barbara, I’m thankful for His patience while he gathers all who are His.
This is a powerful statement, Debbie, “Christ’s return feels slow to us, but it will come right on time. Compassion, not apathy, motivates His delay.”
This is a powerful statement, Debbie, “Christ’s return feels slow to us, but it will come right on time. Compassion, not apathy, motivates His delay.”
So well written, Debbie. Although we are to look for the signs of His coming with great anticipation, only the Father knows the hour of Jesus’ return, when the Church meets Him in the air. His compassion for the unbelievers is great. After all, He suffered on the Cross so that the whole world would have the opportunity to believe, and not perish!
May we share this Good News with as many people as possible! I wouldn’t wish the horrific events of the Tribulation on my worst enemy!
In the last few years I have prayed many times for His return. But I also don’t want to leave anyone behind!