THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 21:20-28
“Stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:28)
Do these verses describe the end times, or the destruction of Jerusalem?
The answer is both, they speak to all times of crisis before Jesus’ return.
Every time terror and misery reign, “stand up and lift up your heads!”
In times when thing are most bleak, our redemption is drawing near.
Whether the crisis ends, or we die, or Jesus returns, we are rescued!
Believers through the centuries have met Jesus through their suffering and death.
We will too, whether Jesus ends our trial, returns or takes us home to Himself.
It takes great faith to stand up and lift up one’s head in the midst of suffering.
Yet this is what believers through the centuries have done.
I think of martyrs like Stephen seeing Jesus exalted while they died.
“I see the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:56)
This makes me think how I grumble and doubt when I face my first world problems.
Jesus is urging me, whether my struggles are big or small, to keep looking up.
To know that no matter what happens, my Helper is drawing near!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, believers have stayed hopeful when facing torture and death. Help me to stay hopeful when I face my first world problems!
Stand strong.
In all the happenings in the world today, do I see the hand of God? Before He returns, do I see and bear and experience God dealing with His creation, His people? Am I able to read the sign of the times?
At all times and in all situations I need to see Jesus at work within His creation. He is my Redeemer King and He will redeem His people. I need to go forward each day standing on the promises of God my King that He will be with His redeemed for He will come and take His people home – to live with Him forevermore. That He promised. That’s my lifeline.
Open my eyes Lord that I may see your sign of the times.
1
Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
Doth his successive journeys run;
His Kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more.
2
To Him shall endless prayer be made.
And princes throng to crown His head,
His name like sweet perfume shall rise
With every morning sacrifice.
3
People and realms of every tongue
Dwell on His love with sweetest song;
And infant voices shall proclaim
Their early blessings on His name.
4
Blessings abound where’er He reigns:
The prisoner leaps to lose his chains,
The weary find eternal rest,
And all the sons of want are blest.