It has been a historic and timeless prayer of God's people... "Come Lord Jesus, Come". There has never been a time in all eternity when we have not needed Christ. The prayer of the Old Testament faithful is for Jesus to come in incarnation, a rescuer in the eternal storm of sinners before a Holy God. The prayer of us who are on the mission of God is for the resurrection Christ to come in all His authority and power, to know that He is with us always until the very end of the age. For the persecuted church it is the presence of Christ which brings a song in prison and fruitful isolation as the mission of God is forwarded, the Lamb has won, is with us and is leading His people in victory even through vile and dark opposition. The prayer of all time and all of God's people is that one day a broken world will be done with and Christ will come to usher in the ultimate age of His presence with His people, when His enemies are in their rightful place.
Praying for the presence of Christ in all His fullness is consistently needed and unflinchingly fruitful. I am reminded of the Hymn we sang as children ...
More about Jesus would I know,
more of His grace to others show;
more of His saving fullness see,
more of His love who died for me.
More about Jesus let me learn,
more of His holy will discern.
Spirit of God, my Teacher be,
showing the things of Christ to me.
More about Jesus in His Word,
holding communion with my Lord,
hearing His voice in every line,
making each faithful saying mine.
More about Jesus on His throne,
riches in glory all His own;
more of His kingdom's sure increase;
more of His coming, Prince of Peace.
More, more about Jesus;
more, more about Jesus;
more of His saving fullness see,
more of His love who died for me.
- Whatever your storm today : Christ is Master over it and all things.
- Whatever your focus today: Nothing outshines the ultimate purpose of being made more like Jesus. If this is part of the reason for going through the storm, today can become more of a good day as you surrender to Him and in faith become more like Him.
- Whatever your ambition today: The mission of God is always more about Him than about you. We work for His Kingdom increase and not our own. This is joy and liberty. On this He has perfect mastery and authority. He will accomplish the task, be confident in Him, faithful for Him, obedient to give Him all the glory and praise.
In the presence of Christ there is; indestructible hope, complete satisfaction and uncontainable Joy, eternal peace, help for every pain circumstance and challenge, a perfect plan, wisdom for every missional challenge - pastoral complexity and leadership decision, unconquerable power to sustain us, perfect integrity to restore us, guaranteed justice and resolution for us to leave our burdens with Him, love compassion and grace which cannot and will not be drained.
Hebrews 13:5-6
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said,
"I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
So we can confidently say,
“The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me?"
Romans 8
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?...
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,“For your sake we are being killed all the day long we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
