Worth the Wait

Jude 1:21 ~ "Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life."

There is coming a time when all things will be reconciled before God. Justice will be meted out to those who remain in rebellion and full and ultimate mercy given to those who are redeemed in Christ. How impatient we grow when the circumstances of our environment do not change for the better. How quickly we become anxious when plagued by trouble, as if God is not the One who holds all the stars in His hands and numbers every hair on our heads.  Peter tells us in 1 Peter 5:10, "And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you." Hold steady, dear Christian, for the hour will come when you will rise to stand with the LORD. It is worth the wait.

As we consider our text for today, we are encouraged in the waiting. Though surrounded by a world that has purposed to scoff and ridicule those in Christ, striving to disrupt the faith of all who follow Jesus, we can hold on victoriously if we consider the three things we will learn from this passage today.

First, there is a place of waiting. We are encouraged, beloved, to keep ourselves in the love of God. Does God love you? He loves all who are in Christ Jesus. Our LORD told us that very thing in John 16:27, "For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God." If you love the Son of God, you are loved by God the Father. There is no escaping that truth, and God does not lie about His love given to those who belong to His Son. He does not love as we do--fractured and weak, seeking that which is satisfying to ourselves more often than not. He loves in perfection, without reservation and without end. You may experience trials and sufferings in this present life, but God's love has not failed you. And even if you do not currently experience the bliss of His love, trust the promise of it and keep yourself there. Reject any internal doubts you may have of His love for you. If you are in Christ, the Father would have to stop loving the Son to stop loving you. And if you are in difficult circumstances as a child of God, remember Hebrews 12:6 states, "For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." Don't let your present experience dictate to your heart the condition of God's love for you. 

Second, there is a person to wait for. We are waiting for the mercy of our LORD Jesus. He will come again and dispense His eternal mercy upon those who belong to Him. Yes, if you believe on the LORD for the salvation of your soul, then you have received mercy even now. But have you noticed that you still linger in this wicked world and still walk about it with a constant struggle against sin? The full measure of God's mercy awaits us when we are taken into glory and the body of sin is done away. Paul lamented his still lingering wicked condition when he cried out in Romans 7:24, "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" As Jesus has set His guarantee upon all who believe (see 2 Corinthians 5:5), so He will come again and receive all who are His. His own promise concerning this is found in John 14:3, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also."

​Third, there is a place after the wait. In His mercy, Christ will take us to our eternal home with Him. We are marked for eternal life, and that will be more wonderful than any words can convey. This is the place we are waiting for, our home in heaven, not built by any human hands, who's architect and builder is God (see Hebrews 11:10). It is not an earthly disposition that the saved are waiting for. We are not looking for a home here in this world that will be ours for eternity. We look toward that which Christ has promised, eternal life. Soon, beloved, our wait will be over. We will step across the threshold from here to there, from the cloudy and dismal twilight of this world of sin, to the full and bright morning of righteousness. 2 Peter 3:13 illuminates this, "But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells."

While we linger here in this world, let us take to heart 1 Corinthians 2:9, "But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him." Eternity, dear ones, will be worth the wait.

In His Grace,
​Pastor Michael

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