Religious Freedom Laws, Airplane Crashes, Terrorism, Cancer - Why This Easter, I Am Praying for Christ's Return

[James Nored]

Today is the day that milliions of Christians around the world celebrate Christ's resurrection. The resurrection of Christ from the dead was an incredible act of God. By this act, death itself was defeated! Paul wrote in 1 Corintians 15:

“'Where, O death, is your victory?
    Where, O death, is your sting?'

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Christ's resurrection was the event that forever changed the world. And through his resurrection, the future came into the present, for Christ's resurrection body points towards the resurrection that we, our bodies, and this world, will all experience when Christ returns in the new heaven and new earth.

When I look at the world events and some of my personal experiences this past week, it makes me yearn for Christ to return.

I yearn for a time when there is no conflict between our nation's laws and the laws/principles of Christ's kingdom.

I yearn for a time when Christians are not persecuted for their faith, where people do not crash airplanes into the ground, and where terrorism does not exist.

I yearn for a time when Christ is honored on the lips of every person, and his ways are honored.

I year for a time when my own sinfulness is conquered, and I have a full measure of the Spirit of Christ, making me fully into the person that I wish that I were.

I year for a time when cancer--including my mother's cancer and all who suffer from this--is no more, when the earth is restored to its pre-curse state, without the effects of sin (Romans 8).

The longer I live and the more that I see that is wrong and ought not be--the more that I see things in our nation, in churches, and in my own life that are not what they ought to be--the more that I pray wholeheartedly, "Come quickly, Lord Jesus."

The resurrection reminds us that the glory and renewal that Christ experience will one day belong to us and our world. And that gives me hope, regardless of the headlines, regardless of the doctor's reports, regardless of how many times I fail. Christ has won the victory. I just can't wait until he comes to claim that which is his own.

What makes you look forward to Christ's return? What in Easter reminds you of Christ's return?