Mankind Has A Glorious Gift In Store For God

Today’s reading:Ephesians 4:11-16

A fragile-looking limb in this tree of public opinion often catches my eye, and I sometimes decide to crawl out upon it. So far, the limb has held my weight each time.

Today’s reading has given me the courage to venture out again. Here I go. Wish me luck.

I have come to believe that the Second Coming is a matter of God waiting on us.

Verse 13 of today’s reading brings this thought to mind yet again:  “until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.” (emphasis added)

These words point to what  I believe is the main idea behind each of Paul’s letters to the early Christians (a point that is consistent with this layman’s reading of Revelations, too): when every last human has developed the strength to love and forgive —  even his enemies — as Jesus demonstrated upon the cross, Heaven will have finally won on Earth.

This is why Paul’s list of various jobs God gives people (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers) has a curious omission, disciples. For Paul, it is a given that we are all called to be disciples — no matter our other profession or skills. Christ’s return depends upon us all taking up that call, being vigilant about building spiritual strength and faith — in ourselves and others alike.

As I say, I am upon a fragile looking limb as I type all this. (But whether it is really fragile is debatable, of course.) I’m sure most of my Christian friends are used to thinking of The Second Coming in an entirely different way, and my ideas on this matter may one day inspire cries of blasphemy or sacrilege. For most people, I gather, Christ’s return is a gift from God that we believers will simply have to wait patiently to receive.

Alas, I stick with  my more active view. I am certain that The Second Coming  is a gift that God is waiting to receive from us. All of us.

Thanks be to God for His eternal patience.