REFLECT ON HIS RETURN
"Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going."
John 14:1-4 (NLT)
In the early 2000s youth group scene, a band stood out above many of their contemporaries. To this day, I can vividly recall the lyrics to many of their songs, but one stands out above all the others. The band: Audio Adrenaline. The song: Big House. If you've never heard it, do yourself a favor and look it up today. Here are some of the iconic lyrics:
It's a big big house…With lots and lots a room A big big table…With lots and lots of food A big big yard…Where we can play football A big big house… It's my Father's house
You may mind this song silly, but I assure you to a teenage boy who was new to church and Christianity, it resounded as an incredible invitation.
In the passage above, Jesus promises His closest friends that He is going before them to prepare a place for them, that when everything is ready, He will come back for them, and that they may never be parted again. When it clicked in my head that this invitation and promise wasn't just for these men in the Bible but also for me, it was a game changer.
Fellow brother or sister. The world is dark. Evil seems to prosper. Up is down, and down is up. Taking a stand for our beliefs may seem more challenging than ever. But we can cling to the goodness of the promise that our Savior is preparing a place for us. Will we actually play football? I don't know, but I hope so! But whether we each get our own mansion or it's, in fact, one big big house, I know He will be there, and that's all that matters to me. Take heart. Stand strong. Endure! He is coming back!
APPLICATION: Reflect on what it will be like to stand face-to-face with Jesus. To be in His presence. I imagine there will be so much joy. Take a few minutes to check out the song mentioned above, and if you want another early 2000s CCM pillar on this same subject, check out MercyMe's I Can Only Imagine.
PRAYER: Jesus, thank You for preparing a place specifically for me. You saw me before time began and claimed me as Your own. Help me live with the confident assurance and eager expectation of Your impending return. In Your name, amen.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?