We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.) Romans 8:24-25 NLT

I’ve been participating in a long-term study of the Book of Revelation which we’re about to finish. This morning, the accompanying notes had this stunning statement. “Everyone who loves Jesus will be with Him physically in the restored/renovated world” (translated from the Spanish) 

Recognizing that coming reality caused me to turn it around to form a question I could ask people I encounter. “Do you love Jesus?” If they respond in the affirmative, I could follow up with, “If so, how do people around you know that you do love Him?” 

When I’m serving at our local pregnancy center, I often ask the Hispanic clients I serve what their relationship with Jesus is like. They usually respond with something about church and their infrequent attendance.  While church is good, that is not what I want to talk about. This approach, “Do you love Jesus?” goes right to the heart of the issue.

Reading this morning’s verses from Paul’s letter to the Romans, I thought, “If I am waiting patiently for something that I don’t yet have, then I must really believe it is coming!” That means that I must believe in the reality of Jesus’ return for me to wait for it with confident patience. In these turbulent times, a returning King is what I am holding on to.