How are you waiting for Christ's return?

Let me tell you a story with two slightly different scenarios.

It was late October, a Saturday afternoon. We are cleaning up the yard when we look towards the evergreens next to John Nyquist’s place and notice a big silver car with black tinted windows coming down the road. We don’t see this type of car in Winfield Township very often if ever. The car moves slowly down the road. We pay more attention when it turns onto our road. We observe it, wondering who this could be. Then we notice it begins to slow down and turn up our driveway. The mystery car spins its wheels; spewing gravel, it speeds down our driveway, passes us with our rakes in our hands, and our mouths open. Because of the black tinted windows, we cannot see who is inside. The car speeds into our rear yard (back driveway) doing donuts with rocks spewing against the shop and garage. The car then races toward us, slams on the brakes and the doors fly open! How do you think we were feeling? – Very afraid.

Same story, Scenario #2—

It’s the same October afternoon; we finish eating lunch when the phone rings. It is Cindy, our best friend, and she is crying. She tells my wife “You are not going to believe what has happened to us. You know we have been having trouble with our car and the engine finally blew up. We are short of money and wondered what we were going to do for a different car.” Cindy continues, “A couple of years ago we helped out our friend Steve start a new business in Minneapolis. We gave him $5,000 with no strings attached; we just wanted to help. We didn’t expect any repayment. Well, the business has gone very well and he heard through friends that we needed a car. So he gave us his two year old silver Lexus with black tinted windows.” “Can you believe it?” she says. “We are going to call our parents and our brothers and sisters and then we will come over and give you the first ride in our new car.

We go outside to resume raking the yard but keep our eyes watchful to the evergreens next to John Nyquist’s place—just waiting to see that big silver car with the black tinted windows.

Time seems to drag on. “How long does it take to call your parents and brothers and sisters?” I comment. We keep working and waiting.

Finally we see a glitter of light by the evergreens. Yes, it looks like a silver car or is it Charlie Molenaar’s pickup? No, it is a big silver car with black tinted windows! The car moves slowly down the road, it slows for the corner and turns on our road and moves slowly up the road. We are amazed to see how big this car is. It slows. Yes, it is Cindy & Bob’s new car! It turns on to our drive, it spits gravel, and he spins the tires as it comes down our driveway and flies passed us into the rear driveway spitting gravel over the shop and garage. Then the car comes toward us, slams on the brakes and the doors fly open! Cindy & Bob come out of the car and we embrace. We all have tears in our eyes.

What was different about the second scenario? We knew who was coming. We knew why they were coming. We knew approximately when they would come.

How are you waiting for Christ’s return? Are you waiting with fear, not really knowing who is coming and why he is coming? Or, are you waiting for Christ with joyful expectation because you know who is coming, you know why He is coming and approximately when He is going to come remembering all along that He holds the future in His hands.

Are you waiting in fear or in joyful expectation? Brothers and sisters, the choice is yours.