Do you long for Jesus to come back? I have to be honest and say lately I find myself longing for that day more and more. There is so much hurt, so much pain, so much evil in our world that it creates a longing inside our souls to be with Jesus in eternity. But as of this moment, Jesus hasn’t come back nor taken us home. So it seems safe to assume that we (followers of Jesus) have not finished our work here on earth. On the one hand it’s easy to understand because we all know people who don’t know Jesus. We know people who are running away from Jesus. And people who are looking for their satisfaction and fulfillment in jobs, relationships, money, success, fame, etc…. instead of Jesus. On the other hand, being with Jesus some days just seems so much easier and better! Because some days we are the ones running away from Jesus and looking to the here and now for our contentment, joy and purpose.

If you call yourself a Christian- meaning you have meant and accepted Jesus in a real and personal way – then you have a calling and purpose to fulfill here on earth. That calling is the same for each and every one of us. We are called to make His name known and to share His love, mercy, and gift of salvation to those people God puts in our lives and in our paths.

Personally, I find it frustrating how stinking easy it is to become distracted away from what I know my calling to be. When it seems that others have what seems like more or better. Or when we see others achieving or getting something we’ve always wanted -the temptation to choose what we want over what Jesus calls us to sneaks in. For me, that typically leads me to try and control pretty much everything. The problem is that before long, I’ve over committed myself, lost my focus and end up not giving my best to anything, including God. My pursuits almost always end up in failure and sin. Maybe I’m wrong, but I’m fairly certain that I am not alone in this cycle. We all get distracted and drift off course from time to time and I would venture to guess that you too, know the reason our pursuits fail is because we are choosing our way over Gods, our timetable over His. 

“Captivate my heart Jesus!” Those are the words that I began praying several years ago, as I began this writing journey, praying them every single morning. These four words even sit on a sign in my Bible study space, intended to serve as a daily reminder. But you know what? I got distracted somewhere along the line and began pursuing other things. Until today I hadn’t said or prayed that Jesus would captivate me for months. At some point I even stopped noticing the sign that was intentionally set up as a reminder. You want to know something else – I haven’t been living as someone captivated by Jesus. Heck, some days not even as someone who wants to be captivated by Him. This truth, this conviction is heartbreaking to me.

Why do I keep forgetting whose I am?! Why do I continue to believe the lies that say: “everyone is worthy of my grace, expect you” or “you just aren’t good enough” or “you’re never gonna get this right, how many times have you committed this same sin?”. We are all tempted to listen to and believe those lies, the truth is though – If you know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior then you can stand proudly and confidently and proclaim “I am a child of God, chosen, called, loved, gifted and blessed with abundant mercy and forgiveness!” 

Hebrews 10:19-25 provided the salve my wounded soul needed this morning. Listen to what it says “Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus— he has inaugurated for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh)— and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.” Guys, you know what these verses say to me – Jesus made a way and is still making a way. Which means we can walk through even the hardest parts of life with confidence, not in ourselves but in Jesus – the same Jesus who willingly bled and died for you and me! Jesus knows it’s going to be hard sometimes, He knows we are going to fall and fail sometimes. And that is okay, because Our God is always faithful! Not only does He walk with us but He gives us people, people just like us, with the same struggles and same tendencies to go our own way, to walk through this crazy life with.

Last week I was talking and praying with one of my best friends. During our conversation we talked about how one of the reasons God gives us friends is so that they can pray for us when we can’t. Because let’s be honest – we’ve all been there, knowing we need to run to Jesus and pray. but for whatever reason we just can’t. In God’s faithfulness and provision He puts people in our lives that see us (I mean really see us) and are willing to step into the mess with us and for us, carrying us to the feet of Jesus through their prayers. What’s even better is that one day when Jesus does come back or calls us home –we will get to be with each other for all of eternity worshiping our Savior!!  

The apostle Paul said in Philippians 1:20-22 “My eager expectation and hope is that I will not be ashamed about anything, but that now as always, with all courage, Christ will be highly honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Now if I live on in the flesh, this means fruitful work for me; and I don’t know which one I should choose.” Have you ever felt this way? I know I have! Paul also tells us in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ”But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” The struggles and trials we walk through today are nothing new, even the apostle Paul dealt with some of the same feelings we do today. God used Paul and all his trials in a pretty amazing way and there is no reason for us to believe He won’t also use us –because He is always faithful!

The truth is none of us know when Jesus is coming back. And while we may have those days when we hope it’s today, there is also the reality that if it is today, some people we know and even love are going to be left behind because they don’t know Jesus. We still have work to do! And yes, sometimes and some seasons are going to be hard. But we are not alone! We have Jesus and we have each other. We truly are better together!

Today I moved the sign reading “Captivate my heart Jesus” to a more prominent location and once again began praying the words. Will you join me in inviting Jesus to captivate your heart?