I had the opportunity to host a radio show with Duke and the Gang. I love the fact that Duke, Pastor Chuck, and Ven can talk about the things of God for three hours — that’s how long the show is. Yes, it really is! Tonight we touched on something that has been resonating in my heart and spirit for a long time. In II Timothy 4:8, Paul says that God will give the crown of righteousness to “those who love His appearing.” My question is do we really LOVE his appearing. That means “Do we want Him to come more than anything else?” I know we think, “What about the lost? What about my family members? What about the Jewish people who don’t know him yet? What about that remote tribe?” Here is the point: when seeing Him and wanting Him to return becomes the goal, the focal point, THE mark of the prize of the High calling, then our desire for the salvation of the lost is motivated by that goal, and that focal point will propel us forward to do all that we can in our lifetimes to bring it to fruition. That’s where Paul was! He traveled the way he did because seeing Yeshua was His goal. He witnessed the way he did because he loved the Lord’s appearing. He debated with great minds about the Messiahship of Yeshua because He wanted Him more than he wanted anything in this life.
As I drove home from the radio station, I thought of the immensity of God’s heart that says, “All you have to do is want ME and all your other wants will fall under that umbrella. You cannot really want people saved to the nth degree apart from wanting Me because that is what I want.” That’s the cry of our Abba’s heart! When we want what He wants all of our wants will be realized especially since He gave us the reason & the impetus to want in the first place! Believe it or not, we cannot “out-want” God!
Abba, forgive us for our ignorance. We did not even realize that wanting you to delay your coming until we saw our loved ones saved was a presupposition on our part that we know better than you do. We did not know it was pride. Thank you for your heart, your love, and your great patience with us. Help us to get about the business of longing for our heart’s desire above all else — our Bridegroom’s appearance. We love you! Amen.
Just not having that control is what I feared most. Not knowing what was going to happen, “What about the lost? What about my family members?” Thinking about it now I realize that His wants are our wants…he wants the loss to be found too. Instead of wanting it all, all we have to do is want Him because he wants all of our wants…and he blesses us with these things each and every day.
Amen! That’s what I am talking about! We have to trust Him to take care of the things that touch our lives — as long as we focus on what He wants! May your wants always be His!
It’s easy to lose focus and not even think of His coming or to think of His coming in the wrong way. When I was younger, about the age of 12, I always thought of His coming. But, it was always out of fear that I would be left behind. I can not even say that the things I do now that I do with the perception of eternal gain. Because, I don’t know eternal. Life already seems like eternity, but the world and untrue thoughts and beliefs, paints a picture that only allows you to only exist and expect or hope to exist tomorrow. I am experiencing His love and truth as eternal and this is opening my heart to a greater understanding of eternity. I think it’s all about perception, and seeing through God’s truth, because even the thought of heaven is always about an escape from this world for me. It’s a way out. However, I am coming to an understanding and learning that it is so much more than a way out. To be connected with the spirit of God with in me brings me so much closer to the true meaning of eternity and showing me a different perspective of the purpose of life. It hasn’t really come together enough for me to express or even feel the way Paul did when he expressed it, but I know that it is greater than anything that I could think.