Little children, it is the last hour.
1 John 2:18
Imagine that your last hour has struck. Then much becomes unimportant to you. What wallpaper is in your living room,whether it matches the furniture, whether the carpet is nice or has holes …. It’s really not important then. When the last hour has come, there are other issues that concern us.
And if now is the last hour before our Lord comes again, then we should not waste time with trivialities. How much time and energy do we invest in hobbies! No, we are getting ready for our Lord, for when He comes, He will find us busy with His work and not with doing nothing.
Do we expect the Lord of lords? The King of kings? Or do we just muddle along? Jesus is ready to win our country for himself. He prepares hearts to accept the gospel. The spirit gives a deep longing for God in our people. Then there will be the great wedding of our Lord! My heart is pounding with excitement when I think of it.
Someone asked Martin Luther what he would do if today were the last day. And Luther answered: I would plant an apple tree. Luther understood that we can not separate this world and the hereafter, they are inextricably interwoven. The Hereafter, the kingdom of God permeates our world and the light breaks forth slowly. Death and Return of Jesus are not the end points, but transitions. Something new is coming!
Yes, let us pray and live as if Jesus would return at any moment. Then we have better priorities, then we make our life meaningful. He is the fulfillment of our life, our hope and our Savior. John speaks of the antichrist, of which there are many. This makes clear that the last hour has come. The resistance to the gospel grows, the enemy rages and wants to wipe out the light. That is why he uses other religious values instead of Christ. Antichrist also means "something else instead of Jesus". This is such a religious spirit which has its laws and practices and rituals, but prevents us from knowing Jesus personally. He builds on our pride and our performance and makes us think that we must work hard, pray, fast, be good …. But the grace of Jesus overshadows it all. His mercy and love rescue me. Yes, this wonderful Lord I love!
Thank you, Jesus, You’re coming soon! Then my desires and longings will get fulfilled. You are the King coming soon! I want to make myself ready for You and use my time here in a sensible way. Together with You I want to go!