City Life Starter

Written by Aisha Darwesh

The Word

²⁷ And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, ²⁸ so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. –Hebrews 9:27-28 ESV

²³ So now wrap your heart tightly around the hope that lives within us, knowing that God always keeps his promises!  –Hebrews 10:23 TPT

¹⁹ We have this certain hope like a strong, unbreakable anchor holding our souls to God himself. Our anchor of hope is fastened to the mercy seat in the heavenly realm beyond the sacred threshold, ²⁰ and where Jesus, our forerunner, has gone in before us. He is now and forever our royal Priest like Melchizedek. –Hebrews 6:19-20 TPT

²⁷ All that he does in us is designed to make us a mature church for his pleasure, until we become a source of praise to him—glorious and radiant, beautiful and holy, without fault or flaw. –Ephesians 5:27 TPT

Aisha’s Analysis

Today’s verses teach us that we have something wonderful to look forward to: Christ’s second coming and our subsequent salvation. 

You might be wondering, “If I have given my life to Christ, aren’t I already saved?” Yes, and no. This is the continuing tension that runs taut in the Book of Hebrews: already and not yet. Our salvation in Christ is past, present, and future. 

Our salvation is past in the sense that Christ has dealt with sin a long time ago once and for all eternity. It is finished. It is also present in the sense that we are being sanctified every day as we learn and grow into our new identity in Christ. Finally, our salvation is in the future because we are still eagerly waiting for Christ to come back again for His glorious bride. 

This shows us that no matter what is going on in our lives, if Christ is in us then the following will always be true: 

1. We have a reason to celebrate: Christ has dealt with our sin once and for all time–let that be a cue to worship God every chance you get;
2. We have work to do right now: God is refining our character in the crucible of life’s pressures–let that remind you to attune your heart to God and obey what He’s speaking to your heart. Faith gives birth to action; 
3. We can wait with a confident and hopeful expectation that Christ is coming back again–let that stabilize you in the ebbs and flows of life. 

Application

I love that Hebrews 9:27 describes waiting as “eager.” Wait, what? Don’t we normally consider waiting to be a drag? Those who understand the wisdom of waiting do not find it burdensome. People who eagerly wait are those who trust the process and confidently expect what they are hoping for. 

Imagine an expert pastry chef waiting for a delicious cake to bake in the oven. Or a world class athlete training for the Olympics. Or a child whose parents promised to take him to Disney World. These examples of waiting are not a drag; they are energizing and filled with delight and the thrill of expectation. 

Sometimes we get so preoccupied with the things we weren’t expecting, that we lose sight of the powerful hope which anchors our souls in the storms. 

Today, reflect on your relationship with Christ. Celebrate the victory of having Him in your life. Get busy with what He’s calling you to do right now. Get your hopes up about what He’s got planned for you. And rest in His promise that it’s going to be glorious. 

Prayer

Father God, I know I get so caught up with trying to fix, escape, or get crushed by life’s problems. I don’t deny these problems exist and I want to address them with Your help, but I pray that I don’t let my needs overshadow my worship of You. May Your name be glorified in my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.