READ: JOHN 14:18; REVELATION 21:1-5; 22:20

One semester, while my friend was taking a seminary class on Tuesday mornings, I’d watch her two-year-old daughter. These mornings were typically filled with coloring, reading books, eating snacks, and other fun things my friend’s daughter and I enjoyed doing together.

One morning though, this dear little toddler was really missing her mom. As we played all her usual favorite games, she would occasionally get very quiet and say, “Mama home soon.” When this happened, I would say, “That’s right. Mama will be home soon. She loves you so much and can’t wait to come back to see you.” Sure enough, her mom did arrive soon, and both mother and daughter were so happy to see each other.

This interaction with my friend’s daughter kind of reminded me of what it’s like waiting for Jesus to come back, and how excited I’ll be when I finally see Him face-to-face! But right now, we live in a world that’s broken by sin and its effects. We see all that brokenness and sadness and hurt—which is only amplified by the information overload we’re experiencing at this time in history. Yet, we can rest in Jesus’s love. He longs to be with us, and He has promised that He will return to make everything new, free from the brokenness we see right now. In the meantime, He is present with us through the Holy Spirit, His Word, and His people (the church).

When my friend’s daughter would say, “Mama home soon,” it made me think about how the Bible records that the early church was eagerly waiting for Jesus to come back, and they would often say “Maranatha” in Aramaic, which in English means, “Come soon, Jesus!”

That’s my prayer too. I long for the day Jesus will return—it will be a day of celebration! Our loving King will make all things new, and we will be together forever—with Him and with all our siblings in Christ, all who put their trust in Jesus. Like my friend and her daughter were so happy to see each other after being apart, when we meet Jesus face-to-face, we will be filled with such incredible joy—a joy that will never end (John 16:22). • Aurora Scriver

• What are you most looking forward to about Jesus’s return? What questions do you have?

• What can Matthew 28:20, Luke 13:34, and John 14:18 reveal about Jesus’s love for us?

• Are there any moms or mother figures in your life who’ve shown God’s love to you? Consider taking a moment to thank God for them, and maybe thank the person/people too!

He [Jesus] who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! Revelation 22:20-21 (NLT)