8 Ways We Can Be Ready for Christ’s Return
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- Updated Apr 18, 2023
Be ready. It’s a directive repeated often throughout Scripture, whether in parables or direct commands from our lord and savior, Jesus Christ.
Jesus promised one day he would return with great power and glory. But, he said, “About that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Mathew 24:36). Indeed, it will seem to come out of nowhere, like the flood came in the time of Noah, with people eating and drinking and getting married right up until the end.
“That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man,” Jesus said. “Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left” (Matthew 24:39-41).
In the next chapter, using the parable of the ten virgins with the oil lamps (Matthew 25:1-13), Jesus further explains that this is why it is important always to be ready and to keep watch. We are to be like the five wise virgins who were ready for the bridegroom’s return.
Yet many of us wonder: Exactly how are we to be ready for the return of Jesus Christ?
Here are eight ways you can be ready for Christ’s return:
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1. Read God’s Holy Word, the Bible
The Bible is a tremendous gift, a 66-book love letter from Genesis to Revelation as God shares his love for the world and his people and the path he has prepared for us — through his son, Jesus — to join him in heaven for all eternity.
Yet many of us don’t read the Bible frequently, and some don’t read it at all. Perhaps we assume we are familiar with the stories and content because of regular church attendance, thinking we get all we need from the sermons and other lessons. Perhaps we find the language too difficult to understand, and we’d rather get the basic gist of the meaning from other people.
But reading God’s word for ourselves is extraordinarily important as we prepare for Christ’s return. First, as Christian believers, when we read the Bible the Holy Spirit within us helps us to interpret God’s words afresh for whatever God intends us to do or know today. Certain words jump out, or certain phrases stick to our hearts. We understand because the Spirit helps us to do so.
As well, reading the Bible brings comfort and teaching on a consistent basis, and it also helps us get to know God and God’s heart so much better. Daily Bible reading is a time commitment, and our devotion to it is an active step of faith and love that helps us remain in close relationship with our heavenly Father.
As Paul reminds us in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”
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2. Pray
Constant prayer, “without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), is another important way we can prepare for Christ’s return.
We know prayer — dialogue with the Lord — is important. It helps us connect with the Lord, helps us hear what he wants us to do, and helps us express our worries, needs, wishes, praises, and concerns to the only One who can do anything about any of it.
Jesus modeled a strong life of prayer throughout his earthly ministry. He would often withdraw to private areas to pray and be alone with the Father, including on the night of his betrayal by one of his inner circle, Judas Iscariot.
As we prepare for Christ’s return, time spent in prayer is critical. We must ground our hearts and lives in conversation with God.
3. Listen for God’s Voice
Along with prayer and reading the Bible is the notion that we must be listening for God’s voice in all we do. Sometimes it’s hard to hear God’s voice; busyness and distractions can be so loud. But just as the prophet Elijah tried to hear God’s voice in the earthquake and the fire, and finally heard it in the whisper of a still small voice (1 Kings 19), we too must understand that hearing God’s voice doesn’t always look or feel as we expect. We must be open.
Striving to listen for God and what God is saying is another important way to prepare for the return of our savior and king.
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4. Repent of Your Sins
We all sin, but as followers of Christ, we know we are called not only to believe in Jesus as our savior but to genuinely repent of our wrongdoings. We are urged to strive daily for holiness, what is called “Christian perfection,” knowing we can never be perfect but trying as hard as we can to live our lives like Christ.
Part of this is repentance. We can lay our sins down at the cross, knowing the Lord forgives us and washes us clean. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 we are promised, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
As the day of Christ’s return draws near, try your best to live a life that reflects our model, Jesus. Heed God’s commandments, and love one another. Leave your old life of sin behind and look to a new future.
5. Share the Gospel So All May Know God’s Truth
Before he ascended to heaven, Jesus commanded his disciples to go share the gospel to all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). When we received our salvation, we gained the most precious gift of all, one that lasts for eternity. But we are not to hoard this gift for ourselves. Instead, it’s a gift that must multiply. We are urged to share the truth of the Gospel with everyone we meet in any way we can, whatever that looks like. Whether we do this with our voices, our writing, our service, or some other way, we are commanded to shine the light of Christ in the world.
Before Jesus returns, let’s do our job well and share the Gospel with zeal, not leaving anyone behind. All are welcome at the table.
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6. Love and Encourage Others
Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love God and the second is to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40). He also said that people will know we are Christians by the way we love and treat each other (John 13:35).
A wonderful way to prepare for his return is to do just this — take care of those around us. Love each other and serve people in his name.
7. Stay Strong in Faith
We know we perceive time differently than God. A hundred years for us might feel like a minute for God. Some of us grow weary as the years pass, wondering if God will ever set things right, wondering if Christ will ever return. We lament the sins of the world and the prevalence of evil.
Perhaps this is why Jesus and the early apostles urged us repeatedly to stay strong in our faith and to not lose hope as some have done (Hebrews 3:12-13).
If we are struggling with doubts, we can also take a lesson from the father of the demon-possessed boy in Mark 9 and ask the Lord to “help our unbelief” (Mark 9:24). He can, and if we ask, He will.
8. Straddle Heaven and Earth
We might walk around on earth, but our souls occupy earthly bodies that will eventually die and wither away. As Christian believers, our souls gain access to eternity. That is why the apostle Paul said we must fix our minds on heaven, on spiritual things (Colossians 3:2).
We need to keep one foot in heaven and one upon the earth, training our minds and hearts always on things eternal as we await the coming of the Lord.
As Jesus said in Matthew 6:19-21, we are to store up not earthy treasures, but heavenly ones.
These are just a few ways we can prepare for Christ’s return. As you keep your eyes on the Lord and await his coming, consider these as ways to help you be ready.
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Related Resource:
Dale and Tamara Chamberlain explore what it means to experience the abundant life that Jesus promised us by tackling ancient truths in everyday settings in their podcast Kainos Project. Listen to their episode on what the Bible has to say about the rapture by clicking the play button below:
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