Tomorrow’s
YOUTH AY TOD
What If I Don’t Want Christ to Return?
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hat do you think of Jesus Christ’s return? Do you try not to think about it because you are young and want to live a full life? I get it. I thought the same when I was twelve years old. I remember staring out of the picture window of our home as I listened to my mother tell me what she knew about Jesus Christ’s return. She was so excited about it, but I felt completely the opposite. All I heard was that the world I knew—the friends I had, the fun I was having, the house we lived in, our dog and cat, my family—all of it was coming to an end. That was the last thing I wanted to hear at that age! Maybe you feel the same. You have so much to look forward to! And perhaps you feel guilty for thinking this way because others seem to be excited about the return of Christ—and you don’t. Accepting the Truth Even though I resisted the concept, I allowed my mother to show me what the Bible said about Jesus’ return. I could plainly see that these were not her ideas; she was getting them from the Bible. (For example, consider this “short” list: Matthew 24:30; Mark 13:26; 14:62; Luke 21:27; Acts 1:11; Revelation 1:7). Seeing this for myself in the Bible, I realized that I had to accept it, no matter how hard it was for me to swallow. I still was not thrilled with the prospect that it could happen soon, while I was still young. Fast Forward As I write this article, I now find myself in my mid50s. In so many ways it is hard to believe how much
32 Tomorrow’s World | July-August 2017
time has passed since that incident at the picture window. Even though Jesus will return, the reality is we simply do not know when it will be. He told His disciples, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority” (Acts 1:7). This point about the timing of His return is all-important. When I was a teenager, I believed that time would not go on long enough for me to experience much of life. However, this year has been 30 years since my college graduation, my wife and I celebrated our 25th anniversary, and my children are now both older than I was when I stood at that picture window! It is important to know that you could find yourself in the same situation. You may find yourself like me: looking back on events that you once thought there would not be enough time to experience. Although events in the world continue to indicate that His return is getting increasingly close, we don’t know with certainty when that will be. But consider: What if Jesus Christ were to return in the next five to fifteen years? Add that amount to whatever your age is now. For someone who is 15, that means being as old as 30! Even in such a scenario, it would be foolish to think that you have no future ahead of you—not just in the world to come, but in the world right now! How many wonderful events would still remain ahead of you? Lessons Learned Here are three lessons I have learned from my experience: 1) P lan to live a long life. Because of hearing that Jesus Christ is returning soon, there is the
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