365 Days of the Great Names of God, Day 294: The One Who Is Coming

The One Who Is Coming

"The Lord God says, 'I am the Alpha and the Omega. I am the One who is and was and is coming. I am the Almighty.' " (Revelation 1:8 NCV)

One of our family mottos is, "Looking forward to something is at least half the fun of it."

We milk this hopeful anticipation for all it's worth. We pull up pictures of places we've reserved for lodging and read all the reviews. We research what we'll do when we're there. We count down. We talk it up.

Of course we know the future is promised to no one. Of course we know each of us only has the current breath we're taking "guaranteed." Of course we know plans change. Of course we know anything can happen. But we are hoping, not assuming. It is a cautious looking-forward.

By contrast, every person whose name is written in the Lamb's book of life can look forward to certain future realities with bold confidence and unrestrained expectation. This is anticipation undiluted by uncertainty. I'd go so far as to say the only thing we don't know about these future events, other than the "when of them," is how incredible they'll be. With our finite minds, we can't truly know...but we can look ahead to them nonetheless.

We look forward to the day when "sorrow and sighing will flee away" (Isaiah 35:10).

We look forward to the day when "there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain" (Revelation 21:4).

We look forward to the day when "joy comes in the morning" (Psalm 30:5).

We look forward to the day when we see clearly and know fully (1 Corinthians 13:12).

We look forward to the day when our living Redeemer stands on the earth (Job 19:25).

God is the One Who Is...so we are mindful of today.

God is the One Who Was...so we are grateful for yesterday.

God is the One Who Is Coming...so we are hopeful about tomorrow.

As a matter of fact, we are looking forward to it.