Issue #6 - Living As If Jesus Is Coming Back Soon
As we enter the Advent season, we’re reminded that Christians live between two great arrivals: Christ’s first coming in humility, and His promised return in glory. Advent invites us to look backward with gratitude—and forward with anticipation. But it also invites us to pause and ask a deeply honest question:
Do I really want Jesus to come back tomorrow?
Many of us instinctively answer, “Yes, of course!” Who wouldn’t long for the day when every tear is wiped away, when sorrow is transformed into joy, when Christ finally reigns openly and fully? That desire is good—it’s biblical hope.
But have we truly thought it through?
If Jesus came back tomorrow, what would that mean for the people we love who don’t yet know Him? What about the neighbor we’ve been intending to pray for… the family member whose salvation we pray for in seasons but not consistently… the coworker or classmate whose story we’ve never truly taken time to know? What about the millions across the world who have never heard the name of Jesus at all?
The return of Christ will be a day of unimaginable joy for believers—but also a day when the opportunity for the unbelieving to turn to Him closes.
Advent teaches us to live with holy longing and holy urgency. Not fear. Not panic. But an urgency rooted in love. If we say we want Jesus to come soon, then we must also ask: Am I living in a way that reflects His heart for the lost?
Maybe the real invitation of Advent is this: To long for Christ’s return and to love people enough to live like it could be tomorrow.
That means forgiving more quickly. Speaking more courageously. Praying more earnestly. Serving more generously. And sharing the hope of Jesus not someday, but today—because today is the only day any of us are promised.
As we light the candles of Advent—hope, peace, joy, love—may they not only prepare our hearts for Christmas, but also stir our hearts for Christ’s coming. And until that day arrives, may we be found faithful, watchful, and overflowing with the compassion of the One we await.
Blessings,
Jane