Come Quickly

My church has been studying the end times in a series cleverly entitled, "Inquiring Mayans Want to Know"
Sunday morning the pastor spoke about the power of God and how it will no longer be shared with the world or the enemy. He talked about how it will not be a smooth transition from the ruling prince of the air to the King of Glory.

However.
It will be glorious.
Pastor posed the question to us that people are always saying...
"Why does God allow..."
"Why didn't God do anything about..."
"Why doesn't God just stop all suffering and oppression?"
but what happens when He does?
and He will! He has promised to wipe the tears away.
He has promised us a wedding feast in His great city.

I caught myself tonight thinking of a family I know who suffered the devastating loss of a young child. He was 7 years old when he died and was claimed muscular dystrophy and pneumonia. I started to ask God why He allowed pain and suffering such as this... and then I thought, What about when He doesn't have to anymore? How glorious a day it will be when we walk with Him in perfection! There will be no more death, no more fear, no more hunger or thirst, no more pain, no more sorrow. There will only be joy in our hearts and praise on our lips!
The thought of the Christ's triumphant return is supposed to be encouragement to believers according to Paul. I better understand that idea after Sunday. My response to trouble, strife, pain, grief today has been "What about when He comes back?"

For Elena: this promise of perfection in the city on a hill means no more worry, doubt, and insecurity. Working at my second job is always a struggle for me.
I feel demeaned, underappreciated, and forgotten
(like it's all about me anyway).
It's a means to an end that I wish I could leave in the dust on most days.

I work this second job because I worry about making ends meet.
(like that's my doing anyway).
It causes me to doubt my purposes because I am still working in a menial job.
(like Earthly status means anything in the Eternal Kingdom my soul longs for)
I wrap my identity up in my job because I feel like my real calling is being prevented by every teaching job I don't get
(like that's the only place that God wants to use me for His purposes)

And then on the way home, I heard a lovely song by Francesca Battistelli called "Strangely Dim".
I was actually driving down my own street when I heard the song and God literally stopped my thought process so I could hear these words:

I've got all these plans piled up sky high
a thousand dreams on hold,
and I don't know why
Got a front row seat to the longest wait
and I just can't see past the things I pray today

But when I fix my eyes on all that You are
then every doubt I feel
deep in my heart
grows strangely dim
all my worries fade and fall to the ground
Cause when I seek Your face
and don't look around
any place I'm in
grows strangely dim
...

I don't know what tomorrow may hold,
but I know that You're holding it all
so no matter what may come...

I'm gonna fix my eyes on all that You are till every doubt I feel deep in my heart grows strangely dim...