By David Faust
Our brains are bombarded with data. Americans now take in five times more information every day than we did in the 1980s. According to a research study conducted at the University of California San Diego, an estimated 105,000 words daily flood our eyes and ears through phones, e-mail, TV, radio, social media, music, and ordinary conversation. Our five senses send 11 million bits of information per second to our brains, yet our conscious minds can process only 50 bits per second. No wonder we’re tired!
A FastCompany.com article explains, “Every status update you read on Facebook, every tweet or text message you get from a friend, is competing for resources in your brain with important things like whether to put your savings in stocks or bonds, where you left your passport, or how best to reconcile with a close friend you just had an argument with.”
THE DISCONNECT
It’s hard to separate the trivial from the important. Overwhelmed with information, we struggle to answer a fundamental question: “So what?” Which ideas determine how we live?
Ask Christians if they believe in Jesus’ second coming, and most will say yes. But how does our belief affect our actions? According to the New Testament, the Lord will return to raise the dead, judge the world, and end this current world order. Jesus himself promised the second coming (Matthew 16:27; John 14:1-3). Angels foretold it (Acts 1:9-11) and the apostles predicted it (Titus 2:13; 2 Peter 3:8-12; 1 John 3:2). Although Bible believers hold various opinions about the details, we agree that Christ came the first time “to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time” (Hebrews 9:28).
But if we believe in the return of Christ, we must dare to ask, “So what?”
PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS
The second coming deserves more than a passing nod. In practical terms, how does our expectation of Christ’s return shape our lives?
Think about it. We shouldn’t be end-time sensationalists pushing weird theories, but neither should we relegate the second coming of Christ to the doctrinal dustbin. Even if we struggle to understand all its implications, let’s not ignore this rewarding and relevant part of biblical teaching.
Prepare for it. We should respect the Bible’s solemn warnings about coming judgment and make sure that by God’s grace “we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming” (1 John 2:28). Jesus said, “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back” (Mark 13:35). James urged, “You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near” (James 5:8). By sharing the gospel, we help others prepare for his coming, too.
Look forward to it. Christ’s return is a source of great encouragement. We will see the risen Lord someday, so our labor is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58). We “do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope”; instead, we look forward to being “with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:13, 17).
Corrie ten Boom said it well: “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”
When the Lord returns, let’s be among those “who have longed for his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8). Let’s “live holy and godly lives” as we “look forward to the day of God and speed its coming” (2 Peter 3:11-12).
Personal Challenge: What do you personally believe about the return of Christ? How does the certainty of his return shape your perspective and your priorities?
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