WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?

WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?

In many countries we are now celebrating the season we call Advent. It starts four weeks before Christmas. We are talking about the first Sunday of Advent, the second, the third and the fourth. People are lighting a candle for each Sunday in churches and in their homes. When we have fire on the fourth one, we know that we are very close to Christmas. It seems that we are waiting to celebrate something that happened over 2000 years ago. Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Christ and we are actually celebrating His birthday. He was born by a virgin Mary in a stable. He was a little baby and many of us have cribs with plastic or wooden animals and Mary, Joseph and the tree Wise men and some shepherds. In many countries they celebrate Christmas and the little Jesus baby. Easter might be more ignored. It is important that Jesus was born, but without Easter and Pentecost His coming would not mean much.

During Easter we see God’s plan for salvation revealed. Jesus fulfills what was prophesied about hundreds of years before. He took our sin and our sicknesses up on the Cross. During the 33 years living here on earth, He exemplified how we should live today. Then He returned to His Father in Heaven and The Holy Spirit was sent to this earth and He is still here to be our Helper.

We Christians are no longer waiting for the little baby nor The Holy Spirit, but for the return of Jesus.

Many of us believe that we live in the last days and that Jesus is coming back soon. We do not need to speculate on how soon. Jesus said that we should live a normal life when He returns. The important thing is that we must be prepared and ready to go home with Him. Heaven is our final destination. We will live with Him and each other for an eternity. We read in the Philippians 3:20-21 that our citizenship is in Heaven and we are eagerly waiting for our Savior, Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform our bodies that they may be conformed to His glorious body. He has power to subdue all things to Himself. Sometimes I wonder how this will happen. Will I go through the roof or do I need to go out on the balcony when He comes back? I think that this is so typical of us human beings. We are not of this world, but in the world and we are often so limited because we think in the natural and not supernatural.

You must be sure that your name is written in the Book of Life and that your name is written on the list of people Jesus takes with Him to the wedding.

We read in John 3:16 that whoever believes in Jesus should have everlasting life. We must believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He took our sins. Muslims also believe in Jesus, but they do not believe that He is the Son of God, but a prophet. The letter to the Romans 10:9 says that we must believe in our heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and we must confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord. This is the doorway for salvation. The spirit of God moves into our spirit then and we become children of God. We have a umbilical cord to heaven.

I do not know how many people that consider Heaven as their real home. The Lord has several times reminded me of the fact that I am not home before I leave this earth. Colossians 3 is saying that we should seek the things above where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Our mind should focus on Christ and not on everything else. It shouldn’t be the worries of the world, pornography and dirty films that should take our attention. In Heaven there is no demons, no sicknesses nor any strife. Everything is clean and beautiful. Heaven is no escape from every-day problems, but a reality for us who believe.

I am longing for my real home.

I can hear some of you saying: “Aren’t you looking forward for Christmas?” Yes, I do. I think of family and friends and a lot of good food. I still have a child inside of me and I look forward to the gifts. Jesus has a tendency to be lost during Christmas. Without Him, there would be no Christmas. Santa Claus might come in as a substitute for Jesus. Christmas is a time when I keep contact with people I usually do not have contact with. Many people are stressed. I do not want to be stressed, but to have peace and I want to enjoy everything that is good and noble. Most of all, I want to celebrate that Jesus left the glory in Heaven and entered the earth to save us. He also taught us how to live.

I am celebrating what happened 2018 years ago with joy, but I am waiting with expectation for Jesus to come back. He is coming for His Bride to celebrate the wedding. We must be sure that we are ready. I want to be one of those having oil on her lamp. (Matthew 25)

BLESSED CHRISTMAS!

Mother Else