Lori and I were excited, but very nervous (at least I was), about launching this blog. I have had the desire for a very long time now to write to my children and to write to my family about my personal faith and testimony with the hope of helping them make sense of what’s going on in the world and, perhaps more importantly, to help them make sense of the challenges in their personal lives. Plus it’s been so hard to keep silent while watching events unfold that I’ve known about for over 30 years as they start to take place before my eyes. Little did I know a few short years ago that Lori would join me in my beliefs, as she quickly brought herself up to speed. To both of us it’s a no brainer, but we know others may think we’ve got some pretty bizarre, unrealistic ideas! As a matter of fact, those we want to reach the most probably don’t even read Holding Fast Now–but we keep writing, and we keep trusting, that seeds will be planted through our testimonies and the Word that may not bear fruit for years to come.

I have a tendency to get very impatient and I want to see results now! I want the lightbulbs to come on, and for my loved ones to just get it! I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is Who He claims to be, that He is alive in Heaven, and that He is returning one day. I’m excited about that, and I know that since He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, He holds all the answers! Why wouldn’t I want to share the Good News of how to have an intimate, personal relationship with the Creator of the universe? But I’m learning the difficult lesson that as the Lord has been very patient with me, He wants me to be patient as well. “Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. (James 5:7-8)

I’m reminded of the Lord’s nudging and poking and prodding me, trying to wake me up again after years of drifting far away from Him. He was so patient with me! Even after I had turned back to Him and had started praying and reading His Word, I still wasn’t ready to really start living for Him again. I would read words like these, and feel the conviction pierce my heart, but I just wasn’t ready to wake up and start making the changes in my life I knew deep down He wanted of me. Still, my heart continued to stir when I read these words:

• Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. (Romans 13:11-12)

• Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:13-16)

• Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

I knew it was time for me to wake up–time for me to shake off habits and preoccupations that kept me separated from intimate fellowship with the Lord. It was time for me to start obeying Him instead of pulling the covers over my head, rolling over, and trying to fall back to sleep–albeit a fitful sleep with a rattled conscious.

So I do understand the reluctance to embrace the Lord and His teachings at certain periods in our lives, especially if you’ve never come to know Him in the first place. And therefore I’m reminded to be patient, as I continue to pray, and continue to write, and continue to try to live out my faith in a way that hopefully honors Him. When you wake up it’s not so you can just sit there! We usually wake up because there is work to do and places to go and people to see!

Jesus wants us all to be awake, and ever since He ascended back into heaven over 2,000 years ago faithful followers have been watching for His promised return. Now I don’t know why He didn’t just tell us we’d be waiting for such a long time (actually, He said only the Father knew), but I think it’s because He wanted us to be ready at any time. I remember when my kids were old enough to start staying at home by themselves without a babysitter. I would sometimes leave the house, knowing I had a couple of hours’ worth of errands to run, but I’d tell them I’d be back in about 20 minutes. I did this so they would stay on their best behavior, and wouldn’t take advantage of my going away to get into any sort of trouble. (I’d like to say that strategy always worked, but it didn’t!)

I’ve gotten in the habit over the past year of highlighting or underlining verses in my Bible that speak to me about Christ’s imminent return, so I won’t get complacent. Here are a few passages of Scripture that really speak to my heart about this. For me, knowing He could return at any time helps me to keep my eyes on the bigger picture. It’s what motivates me to share my faith. And it’s what steadies me in these trying times.

• But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning–lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.” (Mark 13:32-37)

• Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. (Matthew 25:1-13)

• Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. (Revelation 1:3)

• And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.” “And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” (Revelation 22:6-7)

I mean think about it: Did Jesus say since you don’t know the day or the hour, you should just go to sleep and not worry about it?  Why did He spend so much time telling us the signs that would precede His coming if He didn’t want us to understand when we started seeing things taking place as He said? In fact, He told us we’d recognize the season of His return, and went so far as to chastise the Pharisees for not recognizing the season they were in—they were face-to-face with the prophesied Messiah yet they didn’t even recognize Him!

And although as believers we have the confident assurance of being with the Lord the moment we die, He didn’t tell us to be watching and waiting for our death! No, He told us to be watching and anticipating His soon return! As far as the delay, God has His reasons:

You should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. (2 Peter 3:2-10)

Yes, He will come like a thief in the night. Does that mean since He’s coming like a thief we shouldn’t bother watching, since we have no way of knowing when the thief will come? I don’t think that’s what the Word says. I think for believers who are aware of the times, who are watching, He will not come as a thief. The ones who will be surprised and caught off guard will be those who aren’t paying attention.

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. (1 Thessalonians 5:1-6)

I hope you will read and re-read the Scripture verses I’ve shared here. Allow God will use them to start prodding and poking your heart, to wake you up—though not to scare you or alarm you! He loves each and every one of us and wants us to wake up out of our complacency. For those of us who know Him, let’s share the Good News of His free gift of eternal life! For those of you who haven’t yet met Him, He wants you to know of His love, and part of the benefit of knowing you are loved perfectly by Him is that you don’t have to be afraid!

And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.  (1 John 4:14-18)

These are exciting times we’re living in, and we could be the generation that witnesses His return—the blessed hope for believers through the ages. How exciting is that? What a privilege!

Holding fast,

Lisa

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. (Titus 2:11-14)

^{Photography by Kris Williams}