Meditation for the Day

The long-awaited hour had finally come-the hour for which Jesus was born
into the world (John 17:1).

Ancient prophecies were about to be transformed into terrifying, then
glorious realities as Jesus would die an agonizing death and then rise to
glory.

In the upper room, surrounded by his disciples, Jesus opened his heart in
prayer. He had accomplished the work that God had given him to do. Now he
wanted to prepare his closest friends for what lay ahead. The signs and
symbols of the Passover meal that were all around them were about to find
consummation in the unfolding events of his passion. There, on the threshold
of eternal glory, Jesus proclaimed, "This is eternal life, that they should
know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ" (John
17:3).

Forty days later, these same disciples gathered again to pray. They were
joined by Jesus' mother Mary and the other women who followed Jesus from
Galilee. The events of the past several weeks had left all of them in a
state of quiet wonderment. So much had happened since that meal with their
Master. So much had changed inside of them. And now they had been told to
wait-simply to wait and pray. Reverently, expectantly, they obeyed (Acts
1:12-14).

There are moments in human history when the infinite meets the finite in
earthshaking, cataclysmic ways and forever changes everything that had come
before. We who live in the twenty-first century have been blessed to witness
the fulfillment of almost all of God's divine, cataclysmic, reality-changing
interventions: creation; the incarnation; Jesus' death, resurrection, and
ascension; and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Only one intervention
remains: Jesus' glorious return to earth, when he will banish all sin and
suffering and bring his kingdom in all its marvelous fullness. Just as
surely as all of God's other promises have come to pass, so too will this
one.

Jesus will come again to judge the earth and to take us to his side. Until
that day comes, let's go out and share the good news with as many as we can.

"Father, help me to await Jesus' Second Coming with a prayerful, expectant
heart. What a privilege it is to be found at this moment in history. Come,
Lord Jesus, come!"

Acts 20:17-27; Psalm 68:10-11,20- 21