I begin with the account of a deathbed conversation. I was not a part of this brief discussion, but recently heard about it from my friend Alan, who was there. Alan was visiting his old friend Ray. Ray had only a few days left to live. Ray was a Christian and said he was ready to die. He said, “I am looking forward to seeing my wife again, and my parents, and my daughter, and all my friends.” Alan paused for a moment, and said, “And Jesus, right?” And Ray said, “Oh yeah, him too, I suppose.”
I am certainly not critical of Ray’s deathbed anticipation to see his loved ones again. I know I will also have that in mind when dying time comes for me. I am already looking forward to that wonderful reunion with so many people that I have not seen for so long. And I eagerly anticipate seeing that heavenly home Jesus has gone on ahead to prepare. But should seeing Jesus be just an afterthought?
Do I look forward to seeing Jesus as much as I look forward to the other blessings of heaven? Jesus was the one who died and rose from the dead so I could have that wonderful promise, and he was who created me and gave me life in the first place. Is my faith in Jesus strong enough, and my relationship with Jesus real enough, to make seeing Him my most fervent desire? If not, why not?
What is your heart’s deepest longing?
Hebrews 9:28 says: Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await him. The always provocative John Piper writes:
The question before us all is: Are we included in the “many” whose sins Christ bore? And will we be saved at his coming “for salvation”? The answer of this verse is, “Yes,” if we are “eagerly awaiting him.” We can know that our sins are taken away and that we will be safe in the judgment if we trust Christ in such a way that it makes us eager for his coming. There is a phony faith that claims to believe in Christ, but is only a fire insurance policy. Phony faith “believes” only to escape hell. It has no real desire for Christ. In fact, it would prefer it if Jesus did not come, so that we can have as much of this world’s pleasures as possible. This shows that a heart is not with Christ, but with the world. So, the issue for us is: Do we eagerly long for the coming of Christ? Or do we love the world and hope that his appearing will not interrupt our worldly plans?
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Throughout his book Crazy Love, Francis Chan challenges us to ask ourselves if we really love Jesus as we ought. He writes:
When you are truly in love, you go to great lengths to be with the one you love. You’ll drive for hours to be together, even if it’s only for a short while. You don’t mind staying up late to talk. Walking in the rain is romantic, not annoying. You’ll willingly spend a small fortune on the one you’re crazy about. When you are apart from each other, it’s painful, even miserable. He or she is all you think about; you jump at any chance to be together. Do you have that kind of love for Jesus?
In his book God Is the Gospel, John Piper also asks us to examine our love for God:
The critical question is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, IF CHRIST WAS NOT THERE?
Would you say, “You know, I just might be okay with that?” If so, what does that say about your love for Jesus—or, lack of love?
Our hearts are blind and sinful; but if we could see clearly, and if our hearts were pure, we would know that we could never be satisfied in a heaven without Christ. One day, we will see clearly, as it says in I Corinthians 13:12: For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
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John 12:21 — They came to Philip with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.”
Psalm 17:15 (NLT) — Because I am righteous, I will see you. When I awake, I will see you face to face and be satisfied.
Matthew 22:36-38 – (Jesus was asked), “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.”
1 John 3:16a — This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.
I Corinthians 1:7 — Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.
Philippians 3:20 – Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Lord, you are my Creator, I am your creature; you are my Master, I am your servant; you are my Father, I am your child. I am humbled to think that you, who have done so much for me, should have received so little from me. But this is my comfort– that when I come to heaven, I shall understand perfectly what you have done for me, and I shall be able to praise you as I ought. Lord, let me purify myself as you are pure. Let me be no more afraid of death, but be content to be dissolved and be with you, which will be best of all. Amen.
Anne Bradstreet (1612-1672) New England Puritan poet.
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