Are you enjoying your summer? Here in the Pacific Northwest of the USA our summers are incredibly beautiful and enjoyable! We spend so much more time outdoors and the evenings are long and delightful! Lately I’ve been sitting by the river and looking up at the puffy white clouds in the bright blue sky. This seems to be what the Lord has been speaking to me as well–Look up! Here’s the verse where it started:
From now on there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but to all who crave His appearing.
2 Timothy 4:8 BSB
So Jesus went up to heaven, with his disciples watching. And the angels told them that Jesus would come back the same way. So He’s coming back on the clouds, from the sky, with angels. It will be a spectacular display–better than a fireworks show! Everyone will be able to see it. A trumpet will sound and we will levitate up to meet Him! We’re supposed to be ready for it. It’s called our ‘blessed hope‘. Lots and lots of verses in the Bible talk about this.
One verse especially haunts me. It seems to suggest that as we think about Jesus coming back, and look forward to it, we’ll keep ourselves pure to meet Him.
Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
1 John 3:2,3
So this is why I have been looking up lately. I’m looking for Jesus’ coming! I look up to the clouds and say, “Maybe today, Jesus? You might come today? Come quickly!”
I do this because of the verse you just read. I’m reminding myself to keep pure for Jesus. But I also believe that by my looking forward to His second coming, even craving His appearing, something mysterious and spiritual happens. That hope, in a mystifying way, allows Jesus to purify my heart.
Maybe it acts like a fire-starter to ignite more love for Jesus in my heart? 🔥❤️
When a person is sad or depressed their eyes are cast down, looking down–downcast. A colloquialism for hope is ‘things are looking up’. So I’m loving this prompt I keep hearing from the Holy Spirit–to look up!
And summertime is the best time to look up! I encourage you to join me! Let’s look up and look for Jesus’ coming! Let’s say: Maybe today Jesus? Maybe You’ll come today! Come quickly Lord Jesus!
Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be sober-minded and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1:13
Here are some interesting Bible verses about looking up or looking down. Click on the arrow:
Psalm 5:3 My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up.
Mark 8:25 Then He (Jesus) put His hands on his (the blind man) eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.
Luke 21:28 “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” Zechariah 5:5 Then the angel who was talking with me came forward and said, “Look up and see what’s coming.” Isaiah 51:6 Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name. Because of his great power and incomparable strength, not a single one is missing.
Genesis 15:5 Then the LORD took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!”
Luke 18:13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ Psalm 49:12 For innumerable evils have surrounded me; My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up; They are more than the hairs of my head; Therefore my heart fails me.
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