Expectations


 
Listen! I am coming soon! I will bring my reward with me. And I will repay each one of you for what you have done. Revelation 22:12

A week ago it was Christmas Eve. Having many little ones in our family I am well aware of how anxiously they awaited the big day, Christmas. As an adult watching the little ones you always hope the event will live up to the hype and anticipation.
A few weeks ago my husband and I went on a trip to Tennessee to celebrate a special anniversary. That trip far exceeded my expectations and hopes. But, you never know. When we wait and wait for something, Christmas, a birthday, a vacation there’s always a chance that it will disappoint.

Some people live their entire lives waiting. When I get married. When I graduate. When I get the better job, the new car, the driver’s license etc. It’s all going to change when the_____?_______ happens.  Sometimes it does. Some of those things are turning points in our lives and things do change. Even then the change isn’t always good. Even spiritually, we pray and wait to feel the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Then he moves and sometimes it isn’t what we wanted. Growing closer to God isn’t an easy process. We get to know him through grace and blessings of course but we also draw closer and learn in our suffering times.

Here in the verse from Revelation Jesus is talking about coming back for us. It’s a day that for true believers is better than any other day imaginable. Most of us don’t think in terms of being here for the Rapture. We think in terms of our death and our journey to the new life and that has some scary aspects. Let’s think for a minute though of the actual arrival at home. Jesus is waiting for us. Father God is waiting. The Holy Spirit is waiting. We are told that a cloud of witnesses is waiting. (Hebrews 12:1) People who have had near death experiences talk about seeing loved ones who have already made it home. It’s so amazing to think about it, isn’t it?

Unlike any earthly event to which we look forward, this one cannot disappoint. When my husband and I took our trip to Tennessee we had great expectations and they were exceeded. We had no way of knowing how much fun we would have there. There were blessings in that trip that we couldn’t possibly have anticipated. That is a weak comparison to what awaits us in heaven and our trip was temporary. Eventually we had to leave.
When we get home we will be with our Father. Jesus, the one and only Jesus will greet us and hold us close. I can hope and plan, wait and watch but I can’t begin to imagine how great and glorious it will be.  No matter how wonderful I think it will be, I know it will be better.  Human plans carry the potential to disappoint but God’s plans never do. That makes me happy and excited to get there, to go home and to know that I never have to leave.

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