Devotion 5: Do You See the Day Approaching?
Growing up, I remember getting excited for particular events that I knew were coming. Christmas, the last day of school, birthday parties, those days on the calendar filled me with anticipation! As the years passed, many of those types of events started to feel ordinary. The excitement for them faded.
The last time I remember truly anticipating something in a way that changed how I lived was when we were expecting our first daughter. From the moment we found out, we knew life would have to adjust. Our home had to be rearranged. Our schedules had to be reworked. Our priorities needed to be reshaped. As the due date drew closer, these things became all the more urgent. That approaching day changed how we spent our time, our money, and our energy. Our joyful expectation produced a real-life transformation.
Hebrews 10:25 ends with the phrase, "All the more as you see the Day drawing near." The “Day” is the return of Christ. Titus 2:13 calls this, "Our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ." For believers, this coming Day is filled with hope. This hope is meant to stir a response that changes the way that we live. It raises the question: Do we see the Day approaching?
For some, the return of Jesus is a living reality that shapes daily decisions. It deepens love for others, loosens our grip on temporary things, and produces an awareness that our lives are no longer ours, but belong to Christ. However, this reality, all too often, gets drowned out by the day-to-day activities and worries of life. Philippians 3:20 reminds us, "Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior." Like expectant parents preparing for a child, believers are called to live in light of a coming King. The nearness of that Day brings both comfort and clarity. It steadies us, refocuses us, and calls us to live intentionally.
Notice that the response given in Hebrews is not isolation, but rather community. We are called to gather more, not less; to encourage more, not less; to stir one another up to love and good works. The approaching Day should make us more intentional about people, more serious about faithfulness, and more eager to reflect Christ together.
The truth is, Jesus will return. What then is our response? My prayer is that it would shape the way we love, serve, and interact with those around us. The Day is approaching. May our anticipation lead to preparation, not just in belief, but in the way we live together right now.