December 31
Malachi 3:1-4:6; Revelation 22:1-21; Psalm 150:1-6; Proverbs 31:25-31
What are you looking forward to next year? Are there things you are anticipating and eagerly expecting to happen? Do you have certain dates circled on your calendar and are counting down the days until they happen? Both the Old and New Testaments end with a call for people to look to the future and live with anticipation for what is to come.
Malachi looks to the day of the Lord’s coming. He anticipates the time when God will come and purify all of creation. The day when the righteous “will rise with healing in its wings.” After all the sin and rebellion of Israel, Malachi longs for the day when everything is made right, and all creation is renewed. The prophet Elijah (4:5) in the ministry of John the Baptist has already come and now we simply anticipate Christ’s return. We are to live with this unknown date circled on our calendars and expectant for what is to come.
Similarly, the last chapter of Revelation looks forward to the new earth and God’s permanent, eternal dwelling with his people. As we consider this future reality it should cause us to have a heart which longs for these things. We should join with all of creation in crying out for Jesus to “Come!” His return will bring the culmination of all we have hoped for, but we should live now in a way that provides a taste of this to the world. So, as we live anticipating Christ’s coming and the perfection of all things we cry out, “Come, Lord Jesus.” This is our hope, this is the fulfillment of all our dreams, and this is what we should be anticipating above everything else.
Father God, thank you for the hope eternity brings to my life today. Help me to live considering this reality and may my heart’s cry be for Jesus to return. Amen.
Question: How can you live with a greater anticipation for Christ’s return?
What are you looking forward to next year? Are there things you are anticipating and eagerly expecting to happen? Do you have certain dates circled on your calendar and are counting down the days until they happen? Both the Old and New Testaments end with a call for people to look to the future and live with anticipation for what is to come.
Malachi looks to the day of the Lord’s coming. He anticipates the time when God will come and purify all of creation. The day when the righteous “will rise with healing in its wings.” After all the sin and rebellion of Israel, Malachi longs for the day when everything is made right, and all creation is renewed. The prophet Elijah (4:5) in the ministry of John the Baptist has already come and now we simply anticipate Christ’s return. We are to live with this unknown date circled on our calendars and expectant for what is to come.
Similarly, the last chapter of Revelation looks forward to the new earth and God’s permanent, eternal dwelling with his people. As we consider this future reality it should cause us to have a heart which longs for these things. We should join with all of creation in crying out for Jesus to “Come!” His return will bring the culmination of all we have hoped for, but we should live now in a way that provides a taste of this to the world. So, as we live anticipating Christ’s coming and the perfection of all things we cry out, “Come, Lord Jesus.” This is our hope, this is the fulfillment of all our dreams, and this is what we should be anticipating above everything else.
Father God, thank you for the hope eternity brings to my life today. Help me to live considering this reality and may my heart’s cry be for Jesus to return. Amen.
Question: How can you live with a greater anticipation for Christ’s return?
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