It was right around Christmas and Dylan and I were working
through her Astronomy lesson for school, and the topic of Christ’s return was
touched upon in the lesson. Dylan said, “I
wonder when he will come back? He could be here now!”
I told her that if he were here now, we’d
know it. She said, “Well, he could be
born now and we wouldn’t know it.” I replied, "Dylan, he is not going to be
returning in the way he came to us the first time. He wouldn’t be a gentle baby in a manger, he
wouldn’t be meek and lowly, a man of sorrows, nothing we’d care to look
upon."
Her eyes began to wonder at what
he was going to be like upon his return.
I told her that he was going to return as a conquering King, here to
shed justice and wrath upon all those that would reject him. I reminded her of a past memory verse that described
him coming in righteousness to judge and to make war, clothed in a robe dipped
in blood (Rev. 19:11-13). Terror came
upon her face. She knows that as she
stands right now, she’s an enemy of God. She’s told me about questions she
wants to ask God about creation IF she gets to go to heaven. This is perhaps one of the most dreadful and
wonderful things I could hear from my child.
She is no stranger to the Gospel and the holiness of God. I don’t want her ever to feel safe based on
her own merits or the fact that she lives in a Christian home. I would rather her be the prodigal son that
runs so far from God that the only thing she possesses to lay at is feet is her
sin, I don’t want her to be the other
self-righteous son that scoffs at the love of God toward contrite and lowly
spirits that cry out to him in humility.
Christmas is a “safe” holiday for anyone. Who can look at the picture of a helpless
babe being clothed in flesh and not feel all warm and fuzzy? At the same time, people can even ponder
Easter and look at the humility and meekness that Christ displayed during his
suffering, death, and the joy that filled the disciples at his resurrection with
a joyous pondering. But the same baby
that was born, lived, and suffered is returning to conquer and rule. I don’t think there would be as much
celebrating by the world if we were to proclaim the Christ that is described
and worshipped in Revelation. But there
will be much rejoicing in heaven as justice is laid forth by the Victor.
This conversation was brought back to my remembrance this
week as our pastor began preaching through Revelation. If you want to know what heaven is like, don’t
read a book by a human that supposedly visited there, read the Word of God in
Revelation. Everything in heaven is
centered on Christ. Here’s a video of
the sermon:
