As a citizen of heaven, you should not merely wait for your Savior to come from heaven. No, you are to be eagerly awaiting him.
I’m Joni and if there is one word that describes me, I am eager!
Okay, so, let me explain with the full story. You see, Ken has a friend who owns two beloved Labrador Retrievers. They are yellow Labs; one is named Star and the other, Babe. And there’s nothing in the world those two dogs love more than going bird-hunting with Ken and his friend. Show them a lake and they’re taking a diving leap. Throw them a frisbee and they’ll turn themselves inside out into knots to catch it. Let a bird cross their paths and they are ears up and at ’em. I mean, these dogs were bred to be serious retrievers. So, not long ago Ken and his friend packed up for yet another bird-hunting excursion – they say it’s great weather right now to go bird-hunting, cool, clear, and crisp. Well, as soon as Babe and Star saw the Jeep loaded up with camping gear, they went ballistic. It was all Ken and his friend could do to restrain them. I mean, those dogs were the very picture of eager, happy anticipation. Tongues, tails wagging, squirming, whining, as if to say, “Hey, what are we waiting for? Let’s get going! Come on! Let’s get at it!” Babe and Star knew where they were going. They knew what they were about to do, and they couldn’t wait for it to begin. All the way up the freeway and out into the high desert toward the bird farm, Babe and Star were scratching at their kennel. And when the Jeep turned down to the road to the farm, the dogs began rattling the cage, fully aware of the boundless pleasure that lay just ahead.
And I’ve posted a photo of Babe and Star on my radio page today. You know, when God created Labrador Retrievers, I think he must have been smiling. He gave us these beautiful, intelligent, willing, happy dogs to remind us of what eager longing should look like. And we need to be reminded, in light of what the apostle Paul writes in Philippians 3:20. He says, “Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Oh, friend, as citizens of heaven, we do not merely wait for our Savior to come from heaven. The apostle inserted a very important adverb. We are to be eagerly awaiting him. And the dictionary defines it as “having an enthusiastic or impatient desire or [an] overwhelming interest.” That is the sort of eagerness that ought to mark our anticipation of the Lord’s return and anticipation of our future home in heaven. In other words, we ought to be rattling the cage, straining at the leash, and focused on the boundless pleasure that just lies beyond.
I have that kind of eagerness, I do. After so many long decades in this wheelchair with arms and legs that don’t work, I am so more than ready to trade in this old body for a brand-new one. Better yet, I’m ready to trade in my heart for a new one – I am so eager for that day when sin and sorrow and sighing and suffering will be over and done with. I am so eager, I am anticipating that glorious day when Christ’s name will be vindicated; when he will be crowned King of Kings; when the devil and all his nasty hordes will be thrown into the lake of fire. I’m so eager for that day! I’m just like those happy Golden Retrievers: I know where I’m going, and I can’t wait to get there. Oh, friend, be eagerly awaiting the Lord’s return, but don’t forget to give everyone else you know a chance to hear the Good News of Jesus so that they, too, can be citizens of heaven. And, hey, join me in this; if you have a heart to share the Gospel with the world’s neediest, then get on board with us at Joni and Friends as we give the Good News of Jesus to those who need him most. It’s something we are eagerly doing at joniradio.org. Go today to joniradio.org.
© Joni and Friends