What a day...
The whole Earth groans for the Christ to return and finish his work.
I both long for and am a bit frightened of the day that he does. The picture Revelation paints of Jesus' return isn't one of a meek, hippy, Jesus giving everyone the Care Bear stare--it's of a conquering warrior God-king, stomping his evil enemies in his righteous wrath.
Even as one who confident in his election, I'm not sure I'd be cheering at that moment--I'm fairly sure I'd be cowering in fear and unworthiness on that day to see the King of Kings in his unbridled glory and justice. Until I'm fully perfected and the work he began is completed (Phil 1) in me, I'm still an imperfect man.
What stuns me is that, no matter what, every tongue will confess ON BENDED KNEE, that Jesus is Lord. All of us, sinner and saved alike, will be made perfectly and wholly aware of the willing bondage we endured as worldly sinners--that none of us, from the gracious and Christ-beloved John, to the lowest of those who sinned terribly often and egregiously--none of us have anything to lean on, brag about, or defend ourselves with.
The saved will all have to simply plead the blood and ill-deserved grace of Jesus.
The condemned will have nothing to plead--they'll be left with the solemn, sovereign judgment of a God who loves Justice and Perfection as much as he does Mercy.
I pray that God would break my heart for the people around me--that on that day, more people of my worldly acquaintance will utter Philippians 2:10-11 in complete and devastated gratefulness, than those who will have to say it at the beginning of their eternal judgment.
Jesus, please don't let me forget that everyone will say this, one way or the other--pull my heart apart and make its depths apparent to me. Don't remove my eyes from the grace you granted me and the command you've given, to reflect that grace and salvation toward others.
Created over 2 years ago
