“Even So Come” by Mark McGee
I, like most people, will be very glad to see the end of the Coronavirus Pandemic. The ‘pain’ of social distancing and sheltering in place will come to an end. Some think weeks, others think months – but most believe we will come to the end of it.
Perspective
I like perspective. It helps during good and bad times. Parents and grandparents can be very helpful in supplying perspective to their children and grandchildren because of their life experience.
My parents and grandparents shared their perspective with me about how to face tough times. They lived through depressions, wars, threats of wars, disease, pandemics, food shortages, unemployment, lack of money and sometimes lack of hope. They came out on the other side and shared their stories with family and friends.
I believe we’ll have stories to share one day soon. Stories about how we went through a pandemic, did our best to stay healthy and help keep others healthy. We’ll have stories about walking through each day praying to our God, reading His Word and holding on tight to His promises. We will come out on the other side one day.
The End of Disease
Medical experts tell us we may face more disease pandemics in the future, so what are we to make of that? Will our lives become little more than waiting for the next disease to strike? Or could there be more? I think more – much more.
Christians have a great hope for their future – a hope built on the firm foundation of God’s promises – promises that bring us great hope.
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” Titus 2:11-14
Notice these special insights into the grace of God –
- The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men
- The grace of God teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts
- The grace of God teaches us we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present age
- The grace of God teaches us to look for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ
- The grace of God teaches us that Jesus gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works
God demonstrates His grace to all men every day through His patience and provision. The most important aspect of that is the salvation we have in Christ – the gift of eternal life.
When do we receive the fullness of His promise? At the “glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” How can we be saved? How can we receive His great promise?
“Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15
“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For ‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:8-13
Christians will get through anything and everything in this life and arrive on the other side saved and victorious because Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the grave. We call that ‘other side’ Heaven, our future Home.
What will Heaven be like? It will be wonderful and amazing. It will be beyond anything we can imagine here on earth. Jesus Christ, who came from Heaven, gave us this promise –
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:1-3
Jesus will come again and receive us to Himself that where He is we will be –
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
Forever with Jesus in Heaven! What an amazing promise. I would be overjoyed to be with Jesus anywhere, but that He would invite us into His Home and actually come to get us is beyond comprehension.
Heaven will bring many comforts to us, which is why Paul told the Thessalonians to comfort each other with his words.
We learn in Revelation 21 that God will wipe away every tear from our eyes. There will be no more death, no more sorrow, no more crying, no more pain. That includes the promise of no more disease.
God showed the Apostle John a detailed look into what the New Jerusalem will be like for us.
- In Revelation 22 John saw a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
- John saw that in the middle of the street, on either side of the river, is the tree of life – most likely the same tree that Adam and Eve saw in the middle of the Garden of Eden. The tree will bear twelve fruits, each yielding its fruit every month.
- The leaves of the tree will be for the healing of the nations.
- The curse on humanity that began in the Garden thousand of years ago will be gone.
- The Throne of God and the Lamb will be in it and we will serve God forever.
- We will see His face and His name will be on our foreheads.
- There will be no need for a lamp or light from the sun because the Lord God will be our light.
- We will reign with Him forever and ever.
How do we respond to that?
“And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely … He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” Revelation 22:17, 20
Come! Even so, come, Lord Jesus! That is our joyful response.
Virus? Pandemic? Economic challenges? We can face them all because we know we are God’s people and He loves us.
“Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” Hebrews 13:13-15
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
— Written by Mark McGee —
Mark McGee is a former atheist and career journalist. He worked on the news staff of several radio and television stations (including Huntsville’s WAAY-TV) and two metropolitan newspapers over a period of 40 years.
Mark has written three published books and more than 280 Ebooks. He also writes regularly for several Christian blogs and serves with Ratio Christi Campus Apologetics Alliance and Engage360 Ministries.
Mark has been active in martial arts and self-defense training for almost 60 years and has been teaching from a Christian perspective for almost 50. He is an instructor with Christian Soldiers Karate at Whitesburg Baptist Church and also teaches privately.
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