cheekysharon.

At CCM retreat last week, our discussion was led to the topic of the second coming of Christ. We were talking about how this truth can so often become such an obscure idea to us that we don’t perceive it to be “news”. We base alot of our lives around news all the time…It’s been raining all week, and the weather forecast says that it will rain again tomorrow- so as people who depend on our handy Weatherbug, we will all expect to dress warmly and head out the door with our umbrellas tomorrow.

When we have a midterm coming up in two days, the things that occupy our time, our thoughts, our energy and our anxieties reflect the reality of this news. “STUDY STUDY! THERE’S NO TIME WHAT ARE YOU DOING” our minds shout at us as we lazily browse through facebook with the 20 or so lectures in front of us. We feel frantic. Our midterm is for real. If we don’t study, we won’t be ready. If we don’t spend our time wisely now and really crack down into our book and start memorizing, we will fail, and the consequences of that will be very ‘real’ as well. Our fear of failing, or getting a lower GPA or not being ready enough for a test is enough motivation for to study, to sacrifice sleep, to feel anxious over.

I remember the day when Esther called me to tell me that our new potential roommate was going to come to the apartment to check out our place. The two of us frantically cleaned the entire apartment, threw out snacks that gone bad weeks ago, scrubbed the kitchen counter, made our beds, cleaned the bathroom all in a span of 5-10 minutes. Esther had been looking for someone for almost two months and if this person didn’t want to live with us, she would have to pay 6 months of rent while she was in China. It was real. The news that this girl was coming was for real. And it provoked us to act, to clean, to move.

Jesus is coming. and this is not just an idea that I fancy in my head because I have nothing else to think about. The Bible proclaims that it is coming, and that it is real, and for that we have every reason to believe this news. But I find that I don’t really live as if Jesus is coming. “Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming”… Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Matthew 24:42,44)

I think— if I really lived being fully aware, fully mindful of the fact that my Savior was going to come to victoriously triumph over the world, to be exalted in a world where He has gone denied and rejected, to judge the world and come to bring us home.. how much more diligently, purposefully, urgently, and hopefully would I live? How much would that change how I see school, work, my relationships, my time, my energy, my money…

It’s a daily reminder I deeply need.. Jesus is coming. Will I be ready?

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all peolpe, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Titus 2:11-13

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This will be my last night shift of the week, and praise the Lord for that! I was pretty sleepy at work last night so I decided to come to starbucks a little earlier today to increase my fuel time…4 shots tonight :)

6 hour nap, 4 espresso shots
 I think the greatest struggle is to apply the things we learn to everyday life..

…but I’m thankful that I have the opportunity for these next 12 hours to really work wholeheartedly, joyfully, hopefully and eagerly— awaiting the coming of the Lord and striving to be diligent for the day He comes to bring me home.

Give thanks- time to read, sleep, that You are coming for us!

How deep, how wide, How great is Your love for me
Lord I’m amazed by you and how you love me.