This post was originally published in my newsletter, Staci Mauney, Author, on August 10, 2018.

“Therefore, you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Mt 24:44)

I stayed at my parents’ house recently while they went to visit my brother and his wife in Georgia. Lilly watched the door faithfully, and any noise from that direction of the house caused her to run as quickly as possible to see what was happening. She waited in anticipation for my parents to come through the door, and when they didn’t, she would go back to her spot on the couch, her eyes trained on the door, believing they would come through at any moment.
In the same way that Lilly watched for my parents, we should watch for Christ’s return. In Matthew 25:13, Jesus instructed us to “keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”

Just because we’re waiting for him to return doesn’t mean we should be idle. According to 2 Peter 3:11-12, we can wait actively by living holy and godly lives, looking forward to the day of Jesus’ return, and praying. Below, I expand on each of these topics.

• Live holy and godly lives. While we’ll never be perfect on this earth, we can strive to be more like Jesus. This means, in part, giving up things we want for the things God wants for us, knowing that he has our best in mind. It also means learning to treat each other in the same way that Jesus treated others. This is something that we struggle with in our humanity. As we wait, we should give thanks in all things (1 Th 5:18), find community (Gal 2:6), be kind and compassionate (Col 3:12), be humble (Phil 2:3), and stay the course (Gal 6:8).
• Look forward. We should be forward thinking, focusing not on past mistakes, but rather on moving forward. Instead of staying mired in shame or regret about the past, we should focus on the future. We can do this by filling our minds with positive words and images, focusing on “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Phil 4:8).
• Pray. We can speed his coming by praying for those who are lost. We all know someone who doesn’t believe. Maybe he or she hasn’t rejected God outright, but perhaps he or she doesn’t have a personal relationship with Jesus. In 2 Peter 3:9, we learn that “[t]he Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” Those of us who have accepted Jesus have the joy and hope of knowing that we will live with Christ even after this life is over. I want my friends and family to have this hope as well.

Dear Jesus, thank you for the promise of your return. As I anticipate your second coming, help me to live so that others see you in me. Keep my thoughts focused on eternal things rather than the temporary things of this world. And may those in my life who are lost come to know you personally. Amen.