For many of us, the return of Jesus Christ to this earth in the fullness of His glory seems like a never-ending wait; yet, the signs are more glaringly on the walls of our society that His return is just around the corner. When I meditated on how we "believers" behave especially whenever we hear or speak about the second coming of Christ; I realized that our disposition is just like the disposition of the Jews (especially their leaders) to the FIRST coming of the Messiah. They had waited so much that when He actually came, they had lost faith in His visitation; neither were they willing to accept Him as their Lord and Saviour.
11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
John 1:11-12
If you look carefully at those words of the verses above; you would see how we ARE now just as they WERE then! Like them, we have waited so much for His return, thinking that His return will ease our current pain, suffering and persecution. And like them, we have moved out of ACTIVE waiting in faith to PASSIVE waiting in doubt and nonchalance. Some of us have even said to ourselves, "If He returns, good, and if He doesn't return, BETTER! At least, I will have more time to enjoy my life now!"
If we really understand what is going on in the invisible realms, we would understand why Jesus hasn't returned and we would know the disposition we must have while awaiting His glorious return back to the earth.
“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
Matthew 25:1-5
Can you see the problem there; the issue isn't the delay of the bridegroom; but the disposition of the 10 virgins to the RETURN of the BRIDEGROOM. While the Bridegroom delays, they all slept! That is where the issue is, we all seem to be asleep while "waiting" for the RETURN of Christ Jesus. We know that we are Christians – Followers of Christ Jesus; but we can't help ourselves but slumber and snore off while the whole world is in deep moral crisis.
Let me share with us a Scripture that show clearly what we MUST be doing while awaiting the second coming of Christ Jesus:
11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Romans 13:11-14
I am sure you will agree with me that nothing makes a man or woman to sleep faster than idleness; in fact, it is often said that an idle hand is a devil's workshop, emphasizing the need for everyone to find the will of God for his or her life and GET BUSY DOING IT! If you observe as I did, the verses we just read now began with, "And DO THIS!"; the question we should ask is, "Were we not doing somethings before? Why are we asked to DO THIS now?" The truth is, it is not enough to be busy; it is important that we review what we do daily. Ask yourself, what has my "busyness" brought into my life that am particularly pleased with or eager to tell anyone? You mustn't continue to deceive yourself with activities – you must CAST OFF every activity that has kept you in shame, reproach, failure or defeats. You must stay clear of anything that even you know to be evil or corrupt.
Apostle Paul admonished, "Let us walk properly…"; there is a way that seems right to a man, but the end is death. Let us find the right way that God wants us to walk; let us abandon our old and unprofitable habits; let us live correct lives – so that we will not also miss out when the BRIDEGROOM (Christ Jesus) returns for His people (the Church).
