“Are we there yet?”  

“How much longer?”   

“Is it time?”  

Have you ever asked these questions of anticipation?   Maybe before a family vacation, your wedding day, the arrival of your child or grandchild, a birthday celebration, or school starting?  I have asked them, they’ve been my children’s giddy questions, and those of my former students, my family, and friends.  When our body anticipates something positive, dopamine is released causing a natural high which is a healthy body response.

When I take the time to sit and ponder the return of my Savior, Jesus Christ, I evaluate my heart as I wonder if I were truly anticipating His coming, would it stimulate a dopamine response that would be contagious?  What if my church was on fire for Jesus with a zeal born out of anticipation.  My mind leaps with ideas of what this would look like in my community, state, country, and the world.  I want to live with an anticipation for His coming that is contagious, in a good way!  

When I came to know the Lord as my Savior, there was an unquenchable desire to tell others about the hope and love that I had found in Jesus.  As the years passed and the challenges of life took their toll on my body and mind, the excitement faded because my heart grew apathetic and unfocused; my first love was no longer Christ, but worldly pleasures and pursuits,  and in some cases, mere survival.  My daily time with Jesus was replaced with activities and demands from others.  My slow fade away from closeness with Christ was simply due to allowing things of the world to invade my thoughts and time.  Career pursuits and my family’s affairs, especially my children, took over my entire schedule.  My daily devotions were dwindling down to simple 2-3 minute quick scripture reads and songs on the radio.  I became a very lukewarm believer.  I had no anticipation of my Saviors’ coming until my world was turned upside down and shattered.  Then, I realized how suffocated I was in this quicksand of apathy.  It would be in this place of hopelessness that I would cling to Jesus and the truth of my salvation.   As I surrendered the idols, the things in my life that I had allowed to dictate my time and energies, I began to experience the transforming power of being refined by my Creator.  The anticipation of spending time with Him grew with intensity, it was a natural and healthy feeling of expectation!  I am now more quick to recognize that the things of the world have snuck in again when I have lost the longing to be with Him in quiet meditation, and the anticipated hope of His return grows dull or vanishes.  

What is your immediate response when someone mentions Jesus coming back?  Are you eager to meet your Savior face to face?  Is your heart truly in love with Him?  Who is your first love?

It is my prayer that you and I both grow in love and anticipation for our Savior’s coming to the point that the natural high we experience is contagious to everyone we encounter!  He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.  May we be overflowing in anticipation of His second coming!

Joyfully Healing from the Inside Out,

Here is a simple format to follow when getting started in spending quality time with Your Savior!