Now more than ever it is time to prepare the church for the return of Jesus Christ. Make no mistake—Jesus Christ will come again, and God has given us specific instructions regarding what we should do while we wait. As spiritual leaders, we have a special mission to teach and preach the Word.
We need to pay careful attention to the world around us while keeping the lightest possible hold on the things of this world. Obviously, we live in the world, but this doesn’t mean we have to be of the world. In other words, we should take care not to become so involved in the things of this life that we forget what really matters.
As we draw closer to Christ’s second coming, it is imperative that we are prepared and eagerly waiting. Indeed, we have entered the fearful end-time years that are the grand climax of human civilization. If ever there was a time to pay attention and get prepared, it is now.
If you have a real sense of Christ’s imminent return, it will also impact the way you live (1 John 3:3). God’s ultimate goal for your life on this earth is not comfort but character development. He wants you to grow up spiritually and become like Christ. He wants you to reflect His character in your daily life. “Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church.”*
—Jonas Arrais, DMin, serves as an associate ministerial secretary, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States.
References:
* Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, 69.
