Longing

Life is not easy. I probably don't have to tell you that. If you're reading this, you have probably figured that out already. It's only becoming more apparent to me during these past few years as I have grown in my faith and God's Holy Spirit is doing "his thing" inside of this old body. Conviction, frustration, accompanied by an intense longing. A longing to be . . . with Jesus.

It seems that, with every passing day, this longing, this . . . feeling of not belonging in this world, increases. The nightly news gets more and more frustrating to watch so I have stopped. Instead, I immerse myself in His Word and try to lose myself in the scriptures. Some days are better than others but most find me frustrated and wondering . . . when are You coming back!?!?

But turning off the news doesn't help anything. Evil still exists. People will still kill other people whether I am watching the Ten O'clock news or not. Storms come whether we are in the basement taking cover or standing outside holding a golf club up into the air.

Now don't worry. I'm not thinking of leaving this planet anytime soon. I have not purchased a ticket on a rocketship or held a bake sale to raise funds for rocket fuel. I just can't wait to see Jesus! I long to be in His presence one day. And what a glorious day that will be! :)

So what do I do in the meantime? I mean, I want to be with Jesus and all but what do I do until then? Do I just hang around until He comes back? Nobody knows exactly when that will be. I might ve waiting a really long time. What should I do?!?

"Well, BOB. Take a look at God's Word for your instruction. Mmm, how about 2nd Peter . . . "

(Did anyone else hear that besides me?)

Okay. Let's read it . . .

"11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Did you catch that high-lighted part? That's the question I just asked a couple paragraphs ago!! And it contains part of my answer too - live "lives of holiness and godliness." Hmm. Well? That's going to be tough to keep. Thank God for Jesus! Let's keep reading.

14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. 15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. 17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen." - 2 Peter 3:11-18

I need to remember these things. There is good teaching to be found in God's Word. To summarize:

1. Live a life of holiness and godliness. Let's face it, no one is going to live a perfect life. But I think we who believe should try our best to do so.
2. Be diligent. Keep fighting the fight. Never give up hope. We are to stand firm in our faith and stay true to our God.
3. Don't get carried away by lawless people. There are many people in our lives who will try to make us slip up. There are many false teachers who think they have found a new way to heaven. Don't believe them!!
4. Don't lose your stability. I guess I mentioned standing firm already but we REALLY need to do that. It's so easy to be led astray in this world.
5. Grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus. We can grow in grace by being in God's Word, by reading and learning about Him. Grow into what God wants us to be. And that takes us back to verse 11. Living "lives of holiness and godliness."

We must be patient as we wait for our Shepherd to gather His flock and take us home. Until then we press on, trying our best to live in holiness and godliness until the day of His return. We must turn our longing into patience and our lives into examples and as we go about our daily lives, spread the Gospel to everyone we meet.

"20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen." - Hebrews 13:20-21

I Can Only Imagine - MercyMe