Are you Waiting?

“so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” Hebrews 9:28

If you're anything like me, I'm almost certain you do not like having to wait for things.

In fact, I've been in America long enough to know that we really don't appreciate having to wait for almost anything.

I often think about how we train our children that their needs and desires will be met almost instantaneously. When the newborn cries, he or she is either hungry, tired, or uncomfortable. And we respond to his/her needs promptly, or at least we try.

As children grow, they learn that tantrums could be a successful way to get what they want in a more timely fashion.

And by the time they are teenagers, they have developed an urgency for what is to be had.

And we become adults that expect quick responses, immediate solutions, and short waiting lines....

I think this has a lot to do with the cultural factor. In fact, there are places----distant from us--- where children learn early on that they must wait before they can eat their one daily meal.... they must wait in dirty hospital beds for the pain to subside eventually.... and that sometimes the help, the healing, the nourishment may never come...

Although I was born in the states, as a little girl I lived in Puerto Rico. Now clearly Puerto Rico is rich in many ways similar to the United States. In fact, because of the United States, Puerto Rico is able to enjoy many of our riches. However, just like in any other place, there are still many places in Puerto Rico that remain very poor.

So when I lived there, my father moved us into an underdeveloped area where there was no running water or electricity. He built a wooden home, and we waited for about two years for the water and electricity to come.

Waiting.... at times we waited reluctantly, and at times we waited with much anticipation.

But we waited...

It is an irony to me, but waiting has to do with hope. We wait in hopes of...

We wait because we hope...

And none of this is even remotely close to the hope or expectations that we have for God's return.

Yet, I find that the verse above provides us with an abundance of hope... as we wait.

For the final call...

the last day...

the new day...

eternal life

I mean really, if you read it once and don't appreciate the hope it brings, read it again and again.

In essence, this verse encompasses the hope we have as followers of Christ. It defines our significance in Him. It assures us of our purpose, as we wait on Him.

It first reminds us about the reason and purpose that Jesus came to earth.

... to be sacrificed for our sins---to die for you and me because He loves us so.

I can't think of anyone else who would die for my wrongs.

The latter part of the verse predicts His second coming. And I see the grace of God written all over it.

...not to bear sin, but to bring salvation

...to bring salvation

Just for a moment, try not think of your sin and sinful nature and just focus on salvation...

Now imagine that for all eternity... Sin will no longer have its hold on you. You will no longer experience shame, nor guilt, nor blame.

How freeing!!!

You see, not only did He die for us, but He promises to return.

He has not forgotten us nor His promise to us. In our waiting, we are not forgotten.

And as we wait, we hold on to that hope of salvation.

And that wonderful and freeing gift of salvation will be made complete then...

For those of us who are waiting.

waiting... at times reluctantly, but mostly expectantly

with great anticipation because of what has been accomplished and what has been promised.... Salvation

Praise God!