“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” Philippians 3:20-21
May 1, 2026
Watching for the return of Jesus Christ involves a waiting time. This is not spending our time scrolling through Instagram and Facebook. Paul’s thought is that of withdrawal of one’s attention from other things. Our mental eyes are to be on the refashioning of these mortal bodies to be suited for life with Christ forever. We wait, therefore, by giving ourselves to spreading the message of the cross of Christ. We wait while suffering (2 Thess. 3:5). This is courageous waiting in joyful trust through our pain. Waiting on Christ takes the place of waiting on idols (1 Thess. 1:10, literally, “waiting up for”). Don’t count on God-substitutes to satisfy us. These idols are around every cultural corner. Watchfulness means that the tears of our grief and earthly sorrows fall into the hands of a loving and returning Savior.
H
Reflections:
How can joy and sorrow mix together when grieving over the death of a loved one, diagnosed cancer?
Is there some injustice or painful emotional disappointment that is depressing you?