Living In-Between 1st and 2nd

“Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”  Hebrews 9:27-28

In baseball, it is not a good thing to be caught between 1st and 2nd. A quick decision must be made; do I go to second base or scoot back to first base and hopefully be ruled “safe”. I am not really concerned about baseball but it could make for an interesting analogy.

Today we live between the first and second advent of Christ. Advent is described as “the arrival of an event that has long been awaited with expectation.” We live between His birth (First Advent) and His 2nd coming (Second Advent).

As Christians, do we spend too much time on the baby Jesus and not enough time on our reigning champion Jesus who has completed His work and is coming again? He is coming not to suffer but to gather His own unto Himself. How are you waiting for His return; in childish fear or in joyful expectation of the returning Christ?

This Christmas let us rise in the power of the risen Savior and wait with courage for His expected return. Let’s wait with purpose and urgency to reach as many as we can with His message of hope, being made right with the eternal God.

How are you going to live the rest of your life—in fear or joyful expectation? The choice is yours; accept His gift, the gift of being His chosen one.

May God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit bless you this Christmas Season. May His army (us) wait in peace, ready for battle to do His work.

Let us arise from kneeling by the empty manger, seeing the empty cross, believing in the power of God’s resurrection, the empty tomb, and wait for the Father’s command to His Son Jesus to “go and gather my own.” Yes, then we will be safe on second. Right with God through eternity, all brought about by the life, suffering, death, and resurrection of God’s one and only Son Jesus. This is what we should celebrate this Christmas Season.

Come quickly Lord Jesus, come. Come and take your children home and we will be with You for eternity.