First Impressions
What if today was the day?
Imagine getting a text right now that said: "I'll be there in 10 minutes." If it was someone you loved—someone you'd been waiting for—you'd probably drop everything. Your heart would race. You'd check the mirror, tidy up, make sure you were ready.
That's the energy Jesus wants us to have about his return. Not panic. Not dread. Excitement. In Luke 21, Jesus describes some pretty intense stuff—signs in the sun, moon, and stars, nations in distress, people fainting from fear. It sounds like a disaster movie. But then he says something stunning: "When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."
Stand up. Lift your head. Why? Because if you know Jesus, this isn't the end of your story—it's the beginning of forever. It's like the moment before a bride walks down the aisle. Everything you've been waiting for is about to happen. The question isn't whether he's coming back. The question is: are you living like someone who's expecting him?
Sit with this
- 1If Jesus came back today, what's the first thing you'd want him to know about how you've been living?
Journal prompt
Write about a time you were really excited to see someone. What did that anticipation feel like? How does that compare to how you feel about Jesus returning?