What Christians Should Do as We Wait for Jesus' Return
“Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8 ESV).
I still remember the day Jesus came to dinner.
Okay, not literally Jesus, but Jonathan Roumie, who plays Jesus in The Chosen (and hippie evangelist Lonnie Frisbee in Jesus Revolution), was coming to our home for a meal.
What do you prepare for such an honored guest? Fish, of course! Oven roasted, macadamia nut-crusted filets of mahi-mahi, cilantro lime rice, and a pineapple mango salsa.
I knew we were in store for fantastic company and conversation, and I couldn’t wait for him to arrive. You would have thought I was a kid waiting for Christmas morning! I was so excited, I kept glancing out the window to see if he’d appeared. Even though I had checked seconds earlier, I still swept the curtains aside every chance I could to try to spot him approaching the house.
Anticipation. Excitement. Expectation.
Is that how we’re waiting on the real Jesus to arrive?
How We Should Think About Jesus’ Return
The promise of Jesus coming back isn’t just some side note or fun “what if” in the Bible. For most of us who follow Him, the fact that He’s returning is something we can grasp. But it’s so much more than a casual occasion to ponder over your morning coffee. It’s a promise that gives direction and purpose to how we live every day. It’s the promise that should keep us waiting at that proverbial “window” of life, constantly watching for the first glimpse of His arrival!
Our hearts get to hold that excited anticipation, our eyes set on the horizon for that incredible moment. And like Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 4, we should genuinely love His appearing—long for it, crave it, let it shape everything. It’s an active, heartfelt eagerness.
We Cannot Hold Onto the World and God at the Same Time
“Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8 ESV).
Paul draws a line between people who are fixated on this world and those whose hearts are focused on what’s coming. On Who is coming. Loving Jesus’ appearing means we’re not clinging too tightly to temporary concerns. We’re pursuing righteousness, staying faithful, and purifying how we live because we know the King is on His way back.
Let’s Have the Early Church’s Heart
The early believers carried this constant awareness. It kept them going through hardships and trials, knowing Jesus and eternity were coming. Today, it does the same for us: It pushes us to love people well, share the Good News, use our time wisely, and hold this world loosely. And we get to sit at the window with excited anticipation, knowing that the Lord is returning and eternity is in store. He’s coming for far more than dinner!
What a gift, to love His appearing like that and look forward with Paul to that crown—not something we earn on our own merit but awarded to everyone who’s faithfully waiting for our Savior. May it keep stirring us to live with real purpose right here, right now. He’s coming—let’s live like it!
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Cathe Laurie is the founder and director of the Virtue women’s ministry. She is also a featured speaker on The Virtue Podcast, at Harvest events, and the author of As I See It. You can find her weekly articles here on harvest.org.
