The Second Coming of Christ is one of the most grand realities to consider. Jesus will return bodily to judge those who oppose him and reign as king (Acts 1.11; 2 Thess. 1.6-10; Rev. 19).
At the same time it is one of the most neglected realities. We don’t talk about it nearly enough let alone meditate on it.
As I search my heart for answers to this problem I am rebuked.
If I am not finding myself eagerly awaiting for the Lord’s return then I mustn’t be all that dissatisfied with the kingdoms of this world. I must not be too jealous for the vindication and display of the glory of Christ. In short I must be a little too complacent and comfortable.
If we are not careful, our daily consumption with the various (and often important) details of this life could lead to shallow living that does not yearn and pray for the kingdom of Christ, much less live for it.
I think this is one of the reasons why our Lord reminds his disciples to pray for his kingdom to come through the lenses of the glory of God:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven. (Matt. 6.9-10)
Hard wired into our cries for the kingdom to come are cries for the glory of God. That is, there is a dissatisfaction for how God is treated here and a longing for him to be vindicated.
This dissatisfaction is personal and global.
It is personal in the sense that we, even as Christians, do not truly see God to be the highest treasure. Yes we say it on paper but honest surveys of our hearts betray us. Therefore, we are rebuked in our shallowness and find ourselves reminded again. We want to see God glorified. We want to truly ascribe glory to him without the contaimainents of our sin.
From a global perspective we know that there is much belittling of God and his glory. The nations and kings still rage (Ps. 2). The editorials and the universities and the cubicles all echo a harmonic cry of “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” As Christians we should, we must be jealous for God here. This propels our cries for the kingdom to come.
This exercise of personal inspection and global observation brings us back to the gospel. It reminds us of the pervasive problem of sin and the powerful solution in and through Christ. Our great need for salvation fuels our great priority for worship.
It is only by and through the truth of the gospel that the proper perspective on this world, my sin, and the age to come is set. It puts God as the cosmic king and stooping Savior in perspective. And this puts me in the posture of worship. It makes me eager for his appearing (2 Tim. 4.8).