Jesus to each of us: “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me.” … “Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? … “And the King will say…”When you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ Matt 25:34-40
Lord Jesus, this image of the Day of your return is profound, convicting, and beautiful. It doesn’t look like a World Cup Championship celebration, or a confetti-in-the-air parade for returning heroes, or even the largest and loudest praise gathering on record.
As you describe this last Day scene, you will welcome a mass of Kingdom–inheritors into the new heaven and new earth. Such an honor is only inherited, because we could never earn it. The best things in life are received, not achieved—which highlights the glory of your grace. Hallelujah, and thank you.
We will be astonished, humbled, and grateful on that Day—as we should be even now. Shocked that sacrificial love for neighbors, strangers, foreigners—even our enemies, is something you take very personally. You personally experience it when we serve the weak and imprisoned, strangers and aliens, widow and orphans. This isn’t a metaphor; it’s a miracle. It a most intimate way, we are directly serving you, Jesus when we slow down, get low and are generous towards the least and the lost, the vulnerable and lonely—those who can give us nothing… but you.
Hands lifted to you in corporate worship is one thing. Hands extended in compassion and care to people we typically avoid or stereotype, pre-judge or fear is an altogether different thing—a Gospel-thing. Jesus may the “least of these” get the best of us all the way Home. So Very Amen.