Wonderment and anticipation, two words that describe my emotions after my daughter was diagnosed with Covid-19 just three days into her new college career. My mind was flooded with questions like, “How bad would she get?”, “Who else would get it?”, “When or even is it going to hit me?”, “Do I just want to get it and be done with it?” “Do I fight it or just surrender to it?”
I couldn’t help but draw a correlation between the wonderment and anticipation that I was experiencing for COVID, and the wonderment and anticipation I have with Christ’s return. I found myself asking, “Am I ready for Christ return?” “Am I fighting to hold onto anything of the world or am I ready to surrender everything to follow Christ?”, “Do I anticipate, in the same way, Christ’s return, anxiously preparing for the day I will meet my Savior?”
Matthew 24:44 tells us to, “Be ready because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him.”
Wow! More than ever did that hit me. Our experience with Covid-19 was much like that, we followed the rules – wore a mask when we were asked( that’s a whole other topic), social distanced with 6 feet spaces between us and others, frequently washed our hands, made healthy choices, and was simply mindful that it was out there – and yet, my daughter got it three days after setting foot on campus.
She had every symptom listed when we looked it up online, we knew, without needing a positive confirmation that she had it. “If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s pretty safe to call at a duck!” It was time to call the people she inadvertently had exposed and let them know to be watching and ready. Those closest to her informed their schools and places of work, and we all divided up into what made the most sense to quarantine and we waited in wonderment and anticipation.
Do you see the symbolism here?
Mark 13:32, ESV: “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, NIV: “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so, we will be with the Lord forever.
Revelation 19:11-17, NIV: “ I saw heaven standing open and there before I was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True… He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean…On his robe and on his thigh, he has this name written: “King of kings and Lord of lords.” And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God!”
Can you just feel the anticipation?
Revelation 22:20, “Yes, I am coming soon!”
Covid-19 had snuck up on us and appeared in our life when we least expected it. I couldn’t help but think that it will be the same way when Christ comes again. Will I be ready? Will I quickly call to those closest to me and say to them that the hour has come and to be alert?
When Covid-19 hit- I knew what I needed to do. I had all the supplies I needed and I was prepared, I had surrounded myself with medical experts, prayer warriors, and friends who had been there before. I was ready. Will you be ready for when COVID hits your house?
In the same way, we must ask if we are ready for the return of Christ someday, soon? We would be remiss to ignore the truth in Revelation 22: 20, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Will, you comfortably be able to say, “ Amen, come to Lord Jesus.”?
I must ask you today, to ask yourself, if you are ready for Christ’s return? Have you made the preparations? Have you been intentional about informing those closest to you to be on alert and to be ready?
Maybe you’ve been putting it off, waiting for the right time. Maybe you have been assuming someone else will prepare your children or your loved ones. Has it been a long time since you walked and talked with God? Since you committed to doing the best you can do to live a righteous life, living in wonderment and anticipation of his arrival?
Sister, if this is you then I must warn you to get prepared because Christ IS coming again it may be tonight or tomorrow, we do not know of the exact hour, but when he comes, we are told it will truly be a surprise.
Will you be ready, sitting in wonderment and anticipation?
♥️ Kimber
Photo by Ben White on Unsplash
** If you have Covid-19 or would like to know more about how to prepare for Covid-19 within your family, please reach out to me. I would be happy to share openly about our experience and the tools we used to heal well.