We Will Be There Soon

I grew up in a road trip-taking family. You know one when you see one. My parents would pile all my siblings and me into the car, pack sandwiches for lunch on the road, and play road trip games like “punch buggy”—remember that game? Our summer vacations always consisted of long road trips, sometimes traveling across the country. While those days were long, I have fond memories of those trips and the many hours I spent in the car with my family.

Anyone who has ever taken a road trip with children knows the age-old question that is always asked: “Are we there yet?” My siblings and I would ask that exact question on every single road trip, almost every hour of the drive. To which my parents would reply, “Not yet. We will be there soon.”

When I think of the “end times” or the second coming of Christ, I often ask myself as an adult the same question I did as a child on a road trip, “Are we there yet?” If we take one look around at our world and culture today, it is no surprise that we are experiencing what some would call signs of the end times. We live in a broken, hopeless world filled with war, famine, and disaster. We absolutely need a savior, and the second coming of Christ sometimes feels so very near. However, the Bible is certain that while we won’t know the day or the hour, we can be prepared.

Mark 13:32-33 (ESV) states,

“But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come.”

The Bible is clear that we do not know when Christ will return. However, we can be prepared in the waiting. It is easy to go about our life and our day-to-day routine without living in the light of eternity. We must make the conscious decision to be alert and awake, prepared for Christ’s return to arrive, just as it tells us in the book of Mark.

So, what does that mean for you and me to stay on guard, prepared for Christ’s return? Maybe that means joining a small group at your church, volunteering with a local shelter, or witnessing to your family and friends who do not yet know Jesus. Maybe that means devoting yourself to prayer, reading your Bible every day, or even coming back to an intimate relationship with Jesus as your Lord and Savior. It is never too late to return to Christ, and the Bible tells us that today is the day of salvation. What a beautiful hope we have in that! 2 Corinthians 6:2 says,

“…Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

Jesus is waiting with arms open wide. He welcomes us in and calls us sons and daughters of the King (2 Corinthians 6:18). Today, if we have “fallen asleep” to the things of God, would we wake up and be on guard again? Would we invite Christ into our lives to transform us and then ask Him to show us how to witness to those around us?

We know Heaven is the road trip destination to our life here on earth, and while we are on the journey, we can be prepared and alert, ready for Christ to arrive.

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Scripture is quoted from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®). ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.