Papa Bye-Bye, He'll be Back

We have three labrador retrievers—field trial and hunting dogs. The oldest, Bud, recently injured one of his back legs and needs an extended break while it heals. That includes riding in the dog box on the truck, so he has to stay home when the others go with my husband, "Papa." It's hard. Bud knows he's missing out on something. I repeatedly tell him, "Papa bye-bye, he'll be back." Sometimes it helps him settle down; other times not, like this morning. He wants to be with his "Papa.

In a way, those are the words Christians live with as well—"I am going away and coming back to you." (John 14:28 NKJ) In fact, Jesus' last words to us, as recorded in the New Testament, are "Surely I am coming quickly." (Revelation 22:20 NKJ) The Hebrew word translated "quickly" is tachy, a word that mean speedily, without delay.

The Reformation Study Bible notes, "The whole of Revelation is meant to stir Christians’ longing and prayers for the realization of God’s purposes accompanying the Second Coming." Matthew Henry wrote, "He will come quickly; let this word be always sounding in our ear, and let us give all diligence that we may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless." He added that we should often put "ourselves in mind of his promise."

How often do we do that? How often do we put ourselves in mind of these words of Jesus?

Matthew Henry wrote, "What comes from heaven in a promise should be sent back to heaven in a prayer, “Come, Lord Jesus, put an end to this state of sin, sorrow, and temptation; gather thy people out of this present evil world, and take them up to heaven, that state of perfect purity, peace, and joy, and so finish thy great design, and fulfill all that word in which thou hast caused thy people to hope.”

Praying moms, are we people of hope? Are we practicing hope?

I don't know about you, but I know I find it easy to stop practicing the hope I have when I forget these words of Jesus. It is true that when we stop looking up to Him and abiding in His promises—when we lose our vertical focus—that we lose our hope.

Every prayer we pray is based on that hope. And without it, we can easily find "better" things to focus on horizontally than gathering to look up in prayer for our children.

Let us also put ourselves in mind of Peter's words that the Lord is not slack concerning His promises but His timing is perfect (2 Peter 3). Remember, that applies as well to His answers to our prayers for our children. God has an intentional plan that He is working out. His timing is for good reason.

Just as Bud has to wait to ride again in the dog box for good reason, sometimes we have to wait for good reason to see our hope realized. But…

For since the beginning of the world

Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear,

Nor has the eye seen any God besides You,

Who acts for the one who waits for Him.

Isaiah 64:4 (NKJV)

 

Father, may You the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing, that we may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13) In the Name above all names, Jesus, amen.