The return of Jesus to get His saints is a foundational aspect of Christianity. We call this the Lord’s “second coming.” As Christians, we look forward to this every day (1 Peter 1:13). At that time living Christians will be caught up in the clouds, along with the dead in Christ, to meet the Lord in the air, and so will we ever be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:17). This is the hope of every child of God. Our citizenship is in heaven where we look forward to spending all eternity with Jesus (Philippians 3:20).
While being at home in heaven with the Lord is our primary hope, it is not the only benefit of being a Christian. Even now we can have an abundant life (John 10:10). When I look back at my life, it has been a life of ups and downs, good times and bad times, amazing experiences and heartbreaking tragedy. But through it all, there is a clear line of demarcation between my life as a Christian and a non-Christian.
Being a Christian has given me a wonderful life. It begins with having a good wife. Solomon said, “House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord” (Proverbs 19:14). I can tell you that my father gave me neither house nor wealth, but the Lord did give me a prudent wife (the word prudent refers to one who has insight and understanding, and who acts circumspectly) and, as a result, an abundant life.
I owe having a good wife to my Christianity. Janice would not have married me if I was not a Christian. This is not meant to be a judgment upon those who have married non-Christians, it is just my reality. As it turns out, Janice did marry me, and we have had a magnificent marriage. We both have at least one thing in common—we have imperfect spouses. Still, our life together has been amazing because what we really have in common is a loving heavenly Father, a wonderful Savior, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit to teach us how to live, love, and navigate through the difficulties of life. Our common Christianity has given us a happy home, and when there is happiness in the home, there is an abundant life.
Being a Christian has given me real peace (Philippians 4:7). In a world full of chaos and confusion, God helps me to make sense of it all and keep everything in perspective. The Bible has given me a path in life that has a purpose. That purpose is to do the will of the Lord, and it governs everything that I do. It has helped me to make rational decisions regarding all the different relationships in life (home, church, work, community, and government). This purpose has kept me out of trouble with the law, helped me to avoid problems with most people, and has kept me from behaving in self-destructive ways. While I am a sinner like everyone else, and my greatest disappointments in life are the spiritual shortcomings that have led me to let God down, His grace has taught me to “renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly in this present age” (Titus 2:12), and it delivered for me an abundant life.
Above all, being a Christian has allowed me to maintain fellowship with God and all the blessings that go along with that, including His providential care. He has promised to meet the needs of His people (Matthew 6:33), and He has certainly done that for me and my family. But knowing that God is always with me (Matthew 28:19), even when things are not going so well (Psalms 23:4), is just as comforting as what He actually does. In other words, it is not just His providing that gives me an abundant life, it is knowing that He always will.
Make no mistake about it, the best thing about being a Christian is knowing that someday we will see God face to face in heaven. But our heavenly home is not the only good thing about being a child of God. We do not have to wait to be blessed, for we are blessed by God every day. In Christ, there is more than the hope of heaven. There is a far better life with God right now, than there could ever be without Him.
As you wind down for the night, think about these things.