I believe that every generation from the moment that Jesus ascended back to heaven up through today has hoped and maybe even believed that He would return in their generation.
My heart goes out to the Apostles in Acts 1:6 when they said, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”
To which He replied, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority…”
And then in verse 9-11 we see this, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. 11 They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”
They believed Jesus was going to establish His kingdom shortly after His resurrection and had to be let down when He told them it was none of their business when the kingdom would come in its fulness.
But then their hopes were raised again when the angels told them Jesus would come back the same way He left. But they, too, gave no timeline, and the disciples had to believe it wouldn’t be long before Jesus returned.
It’s a difficult thing living in anticipation of anything that we look forward to, so how much more difficult is it to live in anticipation of our greatest hope?
Though difficult, it’s something that the follower of Christ must endure, but how? Proverbs 13:12 says,
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
If we only sit in wait for heaven, we can expect to live in a state of heartache. But if we are constantly living with our desires being fulfilled, we will live in a state of happy contentment, regardless of our circumstances.
Of course, this fulfillment depends on our aligning our desires with God’s desires. We cannot expect to find happiness and contentment in anything worldly- the fulfillment of earthly desires simply leads to a greater longing for more and leaves the soul more ill-content than the person ever believed was possible.
The key to contentment for the follower of Jesus is to constantly live in humble servitude to Him and His desires; to stay busy with the work of God.
When my heart begins to feel homesick for heaven, I know that I’m not busy enough doing the Lord’s work here on earth.
Much love!
Wes LeFlore (918) 607-8489 or huskerwes1@gmail.com
