Come Jesus Come

"Come, Jesus, Come
We've been waiting so long
For the day you return
To heal every hurt and right every wrong
We need you right now
Come and turn this around
Deep down I know this world isn't home
Come, Jesus, Come"

~ Come Jesus Come by Stephen McWhirter

When I was a teenager and a rebel (watching soap operas and locking my bedroom door to sneak in listening to Casey Kasem’s Top 40 on my ghettoblaster! ), I remember spending so many Friday nights terrified that Jesus would come back and I would not be ready to meet Him. I attended church several times a week, was a pastor’s daughter and tried my best to be a good girl. But that wasn’t going to make me ready to meet Jesus. In order for me to be ready, it took a first-hand revelation of who Jesus is and who I was, a powerful encounter with Him, and a daily personal relationship with my Lord and Saviour.

That power encounter with the Lord happened to me on January 22, 1993. At the ripe old age of 17 years, my life was radically changed. I surrendered to the Lord in full repentance at that time and my life has never been the same since. Although it has never been the same, it definitely did not mean that it was easy. Far from it at times. Many days throughout my Christian walk have been met with tears and questions. But one thing I have been sure of in it all — that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. He has never changed and never will. He loved me when He gave His life for me, and loves me still. And I am longing to see Him face to face.

The older I get the closer I am to the coming of the Lord. The fact of Jesus coming back is not a fairy-tale…this is the truth. Jesus promised in His Word that He would come back again for us one day. We have been waiting over 2000 years for that promise to be fulfilled, and I am excited that we are that much closer to His return. Some people jeer and mock and say that He will never return because He hasn’t come yet. But all of the major prophetic signs are being fulfilled in our time and are pointing to coming of the Lord. I know that this expectation of seeing Jesus in the clouds brings me such hope.

A couple of years ago we starting singing “Come Jesus Come” by Stephen McWhirter in our church services. It is a favourite of Dad’s for sure! There’s a line in the song that says, “Deep down I know this world isn’t home” that reminds me of the glorious hope of a heavenly home one day with no more tears, pain, or sorrow. My family and I have something else to look forward to as well…we will meet Mom in the clouds when Jesus returns. How exciting is that?! It will be such an amazing reunion in the air!

I remember hearing the songs about Jesus’ return in church growing up, and those songs always brought such excitement in the services. Our bridegroom is making our home in heaven ready, and He will be coming for us at any time. No one knows the day or the hour. The reality of this should cause us who serve the Lord to truly evaluate our motives and actions, and in turn, make our hearts ready for Jesus to receive us when He comes. And for those who are not serving the Lord, I encourage you to examine your life and to give your heart to Jesus. We are not guaranteed tomorrow. That is more real to me now than ever before. I thought that Mom was going to live forever…kind of! I just never had her passing in my mind at all. But yet, it happened.

We just do not know what tomorrow will bring. It is not too late to make your heart right. It does not mean that you have to be all cleaned up when you come to Him. Just come as you are, and Jesus will do the cleaning! And when we make Jesus the Lord of our lives, He will carry us through every storm, battle, and victory.

I look to the clouds quite often expecting Jesus to return. And it fills me with joy to think that I will see Him one day. Until that day comes, my anthem will be “Come Jesus Come!"