"They themselves show . . . how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for His Son from heaven, Whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come" (1 Thess. 1:9,10).

Nearly 2000 years have passed since our beloved Lord and Saviour said, "I will come again, and receive you unto Myself" (John 14:3). However, the shadows of earth still surround us, and we still plod on day after day in a world that becomes more of a wilderness to us. Each day the morning breaks but we don't see the face of our Beloved. Each night the silence falls, and in vain we listen for the voice of Him who will say, "Rise up, My love, My fair one, and come away" (Song of Solomon 2:10).

Our hope is deferred, and yet there abides the unqualified promise, "He that shall come will come, and will not tarry" (Heb. 10:37). Surely, as we approach the second millennium since He said, "Surely, I come quickly" (Rev. 22:20), we cannot help upon reflection to know "The coming of the Lord draweth nigh" (James 5:8).

However, the passing of time does have effect upon our souls. The keenness of our watchfulness can be dulled. The willing spirit is too easily quenched by the fainting flesh. Alas, it is possible that the Lord may come and find us sleeping. Even in Paul's day, it was necessary to write to the saints, "Now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed" (Romans 13:11). How we need to challenge our hearts whether we are asleep or awake, forgetting or awaiting our Lord's return!

In 1 Thess. 1, awaiting God's Son is included in the Christian confession. In Thessalonica, this hope was part of their open, public witness. Throughout the entire district it was obvious that the converts were expecting the coming of the Son of God, as truly as they had turned to God from idols, to serve the living and the true God.

Waiting for God's Son is the expectation of a Person. In such a "hope" there is a living, powerful force. The thought of the Coming One touches the emotions and awakens the heart in a way that the greatest of all things here on earth fail to do. The Son of God loves us, and gave Himself for us, and is coming for us! We are waiting here for the Lover of our souls whom our souls love.

May the Lord Himself search our hearts to see whether there is within us an unsatisfied longing to see His face and be with Him forever. May our constant prayer be, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus" (Rev. 22:20). "Thou art my Help and my Deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God" (Psalm 40:17).