Is He Safe?

“He's not safe, but he's good.”
― C.S. Lewis

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:

 

Can you worship the One called Faithful and True that is returning on a white horse ready to make war just as much as you adore the baby born in Bethlehem?  He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.