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When Jesus left this earth, He made a promise to His disciples that He would return. That promise wasn’t just for them—it’s for us too.
And yet, if you’re anything like me, it’s easy to let that truth drift to the back burner of our minds. Life fills up with laundry, work deadlines, bills to pay, meals to prepare, and all the little urgencies of today. The return of Christ can seem distant, irrelevant to our everyday lives.
But the Lord has been stirring my heart to come back to this promise—to slow down and really think about what it means.
Hope in His Promise
In Matthew 24 and 25, often called the Olivet Discourse, Jesus gives His disciples a glimpse of what’s to come. They had asked Him about the end of the age, and He spoke both directly and through parables. Some of His words are sobering. Others are full of hope.
For a long time, I found the book of Revelation intimidating. Maybe you’ve felt that way too—it seemed dark, confusing, even frightening. But during our homeschool years, I picked up a children’s book called The Non-Prophet’s Guide to the Book of Revelation. It wasn’t scholarly, but it was simple, clear, and so helpful. It made me realize Revelation isn’t a book of dread—it’s a book of hope.
The more I read, the more I see that the second coming of Christ is not something to fear but something to look forward to with expectation.
Living with Eternity in View
Jesus’ parables in Matthew 24 and 25 remind us that how we live matters.
- The faithful servant is blessed when the master finds him carrying out his assignment.
- The wise virgins were prepared with oil in their lamps, ready when the bridegroom came.
- The diligent servants with talents invested what they had been given, multiplying it rather than hiding it away.
- And the sheep, those who clothed, fed, and cared for others, discovered that in doing so they had ministered to Christ Himself.
All of these stories point to the same truth: one day, we will stand before the Lord and give an account for how we lived. Not in fear of wrath—for Jesus has already borne that for us—but in anticipation of reward.
How we treat people matters.
How we use what God has entrusted to us matters.
The choices we make today carry eternal weight.
A Bride Awaiting Her Bridegroom
As believers, we are not waiting for destruction but for a wedding. We are the bride of Christ, and He is coming back for us. Scripture tells us: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).
That means the best is yet to come. Even now, we may feel the “birth pains” Jesus spoke of—signs that His coming is drawing nearer. But birth pains are not the end. They signal the beginning of new life.
We have a glorious hope in Christ. And when we live with that hope in view, it changes everything about how we walk through today.
Whether He Comes or Calls
The church I grew up in often used a phrase: “Whether He comes or calls.”
If Christ comes again in our lifetime, we will see Him face to face. And if He calls us home before then, we will still be in His presence. Either way, the end of this life is not an end—it is a continuation of life eternal with Jesus.
So, precious one, take heart. The things you do today matter. Even the unseen, quiet acts of obedience are noticed by the Lord. When you live for Him, nothing is wasted.
And one day, we will hear those beautiful words: “Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
That is our hope. That is our future. And that is worth living for today.
© Audrey McCracken Creatives LLC, 2025
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