Jesus is Coming...and I'm Scared

I caught Anne Graham Lotz's recent conversation with Susie Larson on Susie's radio show. These two women know the Word of God and possess a deeply-rooted faith in Christ, which I was reminded of as they discussed the return of Jesus. The best preacher in the Graham family (as Billy Graham refers to his daughter) stated -- humbly, yet with firm conviction -- that she believes Jesus is returning during her lifetime.

Do you know what my unedited, honest, first response was when I heard Anne say that?

FEAR.

Fear?! What is that about?

I'm a beloved daughter of Jesus, saved by His blood, and possessing a secure heavenly future -- which is what made my fearful reaction so surprising. So what am I scared of...besides the air traffic chaos caused by millions of believers rocketing skyward at the same time, and then tracking down my family among the billions of heavenly residents? (Be honest. You've thought about these things too.) But they're really not what concern me, though I have pondered the logistics.  After prayerful consideration, I believe my newly-surfaced fear reveals two things:

1. Roots of trusting in works instead of grace are still alive in me.
2. I've been lax, even uncaring about the salvation of people I deeply love.

It's easy to slide back into trying to save yourself, and the servant life of a follower of Jesus can make you ripe for shifting your righteousness from something that is entirely out of your control and too-good-to-be-true (though it is!) -- the gift of salvation paid for by Jesus' death -- to something that feels like the proper payment for being forgiven and made once-and-for-all clean: good, kind actions.

Why/how are the roots of work still alive in me? I think because I've been so focused (dare I even say obsessed) on my own spiritual transformation -- which God wants for me and so do I -- and not focused first on Jesus, Who He is, why He had to die for us (sin is an ugly, ugly poison), and ALL that His death and resurrection accomplished for us.

This doesn't mean that I have to DO more reading and praying and meditating and.... Absolutely not! I simply need to return to living the One Thing of the Greatest Commandment: loving God with all that's in my heart, soul, mind and strength each day. Sounds like a big task, doesn't it? But it's not...a task, that is, but a way of living. I know that. So how did I drift away from the mooring that will:

•  Keep me rooted in grace?
• Fuel my love and compassion for others?

That is the question that needs answering. Which I'll do...on my next Mid-Morning blog!

Blessings,

Lynne