Lord Jesus,
When “what if” thoughts fill my mind, when agony over escalating evil weighs heavy, when hope-less fears arise, zoom me back to Your hope-saturated truth.
“What if”…tomorrow is actually the day of Your return?
The appointed, already-scheduled day…
Because [the Father] has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed;
and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead (Acts 17:31 ESV).
But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only (Mt. 24:36 ESV).
What if…tomorrow is the day when this was planned by our Father:
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord (1 Thess. 4:16-17 ESV)!
And then the lawless one will be revealed…
How would Jesus’ possible return tomorrow change my suffering today?
Christ is coming! over the world victorious,
pow’r and glory unto the Lord belong!
(“Praise Him! Praise Him!,” Crosby, F., 1869)
But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man (Lk. 21:34-36 ESV).
Re-turning to You, Lord Jesus
Praise him! praise him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
For our sins he suffered and bled and died;
he our Rock, our hope of eternal salvation,
hail him! hail him! Jesus the Crucified.
Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen (Rev. 1:7 ESV).
What if tomorrow IS the day? Such hope for a Christian sufferer!
And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming (1 Jn. 2:28 ESV).
Sound his praises! Jesus who bore our sorrows,
love unbounded, wonderful, deep, and strong…
Jesus’ second coming, with a possible “tomorrow is the day” hope? It gives me purpose for today, as I suffer
Praise him! praise him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
Sing, O earth, his wonderful love proclaim!
But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings,
that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed (1 Pet. 4:13 ESV).
Hail him! hail him! highest archangels in glory;
strength and honor give to his holy name!
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some,
but encouraging one another,
and all the more as you see the Day drawing near (Heb. 10:24-25 ESV).
Jesus’ return is in my Father’s already-written glorious love story…for me
Like a shepherd, Jesus will guard his children,
in his arms he carries them all day long…
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thess. 5:28 ESV, emphasis added).
Return my thoughts to Your true “what if” when I’m discouraged or afraid. Because if tomorrow IS the day…
Praise him! praise him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
Heav’nly portals loud with hosannas ring!
Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day,
and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing (2 Tim. 4:8 ESV, emphasis added).
Jesus, Savior, reigneth forever and ever;
crown him! crown him! Prophet and Priest and King!
King of kings and Lord of lords, it is in Your glorious and gracious redeeming name of hope that we pray, amen.
A playlist gift to sing of Jesus’ return, to praise our King, and ask Him for His powerful help as we suffer and wait
Praise him! praise him!
tell of his excellent greatness!
praise him! praise Him!
ever in joyful song!
This week’s playlist gift sings of our Lord’s return, our glorious and living hope! Such joy He gives! How He has couraged-into me through it, in all the ups and downs of my personal suffering and our global tribulation. Glory to God! If this playlist of hope and praise to our Lord of lords and King of kings would be a blessing to you in today’s suffering, sign up here, and it will come to your email, with love and prayers from a sister in Christ who understands.
To read more of Lauri’s writing, you can use her devotional Bible study lament prayer journals: Praying God’s Promises Into Suffering, or Near to God: A Devotional Bible Study of God’s Character as We Suffer, or Singing the Gospel to Job: Finding Hope in Suffering. In the Valleys of God’s Love is written for children aged 3-8, a perfect read for grandparents, parents, and children to share together, preparing them for suffering to come.
For Scripture devotionals, calming hymns, and encouragement from Lauri, click here for YouTube channel
For those with chronic illness, pain, cancer, anxiety, or depression, here’s a music therapy-inspired podcast of Scripture and hymns, to help ease symptoms
