My husband has been out of town these past 10 days. As always, we miss him a lot. This morning as I was checking my email, my phone, my skype, and my facebook for about the 100th time... I realized how obsessed I get with him when he is gone. I get a bit preoccupied and fervent in my watch for him. I long to hear from him, to get a note, to open a text message or see him on skype. It becomes a part- time job to look for him when he is gone.
As the days pass, my heart fills with anticipation and I start to count down days. The kids and I talk about "how many more sleeps" until Daddy is back, and there are tears at night missing him. My man is an amazing husband and father. His personality, his gifts, his service and his fun fill our home with an ingredient we miss significantly when he isn't here. It is good, and right, I think, that we miss him so much. So we wait and we count. We pray and we send him "waiting for you" and "come home soon" messages.
As I sit here I am struck by my belief that my Savior-brother, the Lord Jesus, is coming soon. His return, we are promised, is imminent. We are told to wait in anticipation. ...should I be counting the days until he comes?
What might my life look like if I woke in the morning so anticipating his upcoming arrival? ...looking for his "text message" to me, looking for him on "skype" and watching for him on "facebook". What would my life look like if my awareness of him, His presence, was as keen as my awareness of my husband's presence "online" is?
This question doesn't fill me with guilt today. It fills me with wonder and a sweet invitation of the heart. I am drawn to this possibility with much joy and a desire to grow in my love for Jesus. What if my love increased to such a level that I was consumed and devoted to looking for Him, signs of Him, throughout my day!?
God's words says tells me plainly that He is coming. I am "to wait for his Son from heaven,.." (1 Thess 1). We are told to "wait for the blessed hope-the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ" (Titus 2).
and my favorite... "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ," (Phil 3) This "eagerly await" phrase in Greek apparently means to "assiduously wait"... which defined by Webster means constant, unremitting, persevering, and attentive.
To constantly wait. To wait and anticipate with perseverance and attention.
Wait for Him. ...count down in anticipation!
Eagerly await Him... look for Him all the time. Watch for Him, His messages, His words, His voice, signs that He is coming.
There is only just one more day until my husband comes back! I can't hardly wait.
How many days until my Savior comes back?!
Lord Jesus increase my love for you! May it be a part-time job for me to wait for You. May I eagerly anticipate Your coming arrival!
