Actively Waiting

August 22, 2022 00:04:12
Actively Waiting
Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens
Actively Waiting

Aug 22 2022 | 00:04:12

/

Show Notes

Most of us don’t enjoy waiting; it feels like a boring, passive exercise. Just the word “waiting” might stir up images of sitting in a doctor’s office with nothing to do. Or maybe it feels like the endless days before summer vacation, staring out the window or watching the clock. Waiting seems like a non-activity.As Christians, we wait for many things. We wait for God’s perfect timing and for His promises to be fulfilled. Most of all, we are waiting for the return of Jesus. But this waiting is not a passive, sitting-on-our-hands kind of waiting, whiling away the time until He appears. In Luke 12, Jesus told a parable about servants waiting for their master to return home. Like these servants, we are called to be dressed for service (verse 35), actively serving God as faithful and wise managers who God has left in charge of caring for His creation (verse 42).Christ’s return is a sure thing, and as we look forward to it with hope, there is much for us to do in His service until He comes. God calls us to share in His joy by being part of the good things He is doing. We can engage in good works (which usually look like helping others), in prayer, and in sharing the gospelwhich is the good news about Jesus. And we don’t do these things in our own strength; rather, we rely on the Holy Spirit and work together with fellow Christians. We are called to see ourselves as servants until our Master returns so that He will find us actively working for Him.Notice the special promises that come with this active waiting: Jesus says, The servants who are ready and waiting for his [the master’s] return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat! (verse 37). The God of the universe reverses the roles of master and servants. Jesus showed this on the night before He went to the cross, when He took the position of a servant and washed His disciples’ feet. Then He told them to serve one another in the same way and to love each other as He had loved them. When Jesus returns, He will reward His faithful followers who loved well. What an honor for His people! Jesus will put these faithful servants in charge of all he owns (verse 44). In the life to come, He will give greater responsibility to those who have served Him in this world. So let us wait actively as we rest in this sure hope: Christ is coming again! Laura N. Sweet How might remembering the way Jesus has lovingly served us help us to lovingly serve one another? (If you want to dig deeper, read John 13:1-17, 34-35 and Philippians 2:1-13.)The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat! Luke 12:37a (NLT)

 

Read Verses:

Luke 12:32-Luke 12:46

Other Episodes

Episode

December 18, 2024 00:05:00
Episode Cover

The Light of Christ

READ: JOHN 1:1-14; 2 CORINTHIANS 4:6-10; 1 JOHN 1:1-10 I wanted to go home. This walk was not such a good idea. Heavy grey...

Listen

Episode

August 26, 2024 00:03:37
Episode Cover

A Faithful Father

READ: DEUTERONOMY 31:6; PSALM 94:14; JOHN 14:18 I am adopted from China. From what little I know (and understand), my biological mother abandoned me...

Listen

Episode

June 06, 2021
Episode Cover

Look Up

The Exodus is my favorite Bible story. It’s an edge-of-your-seat narrative where an underdog hero defies the most powerful ruler in the world and...

Listen