to all who are eagerly waiting for him

 He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him. Heb. 9:28

Sometimes when I read a sentence,

I immediately know how it ends,

sometimes, I worry what the end will say,

and then sometimes, I'm really challenged by the end.

This one took me through the latter two.

First, I worried,

then I was challenged.

Do I "eagerly" wait for him?

Like a child for Christmas morning,

cant sleep, 

are distracted with excited anticipation?

Then I am totally aware of my habits that distract me.

God said the difference between the 5 wise virgins,

and the 5 foolish ones,

was a matter of oil in their flask,

but I studied oil,

to see what God meant.

It's not about the oil.

It's about the heart of the one 

who dreams of their beloved,

and really knows them,

who longs for their return,

who keeps watch,

who keeps the prophecies of Revelations,

who keeps their clothes close at hand,

who gives to the poor,

who visits the sick and the one in prison,

who considers how they might stir one another on to good deeds,

who loves God most,

who is running the race to win the prize.

Not the one who just hangs out with Christians.

Not one who just prays and prophecies in his name,

but the one who get's to know him now.

Someone said, 

they wanted to be lead by the principals of the Bible,

but we are asked to hold the hand of the Holy Spirit,

and be lead by his very presence.

To have ears to hear,

and walk in his ways.

My frustration wants distraction.

waiting hurts.

life hurts.

people hurt.

But the Holy Spirit desires to sit with us in our hurt.

To give us his very nearness in our hard times.

When you feel God near you,

it's so good you would pay any price to enjoy the experience.

And we are offered this feast for free.

Yet, there is another offer.

It's a counterfeit.

It's sometimes called entertainment.

Sometimes, your phone,

sex,

money,

alcohol,

drugs,

family,

shopping,

and the list of idols goes on.

Everyone of these things can be a helpful gift,

or they can be an idol.

"Peter, do you love me more than these?"

Jesus asked.

but I always hear: 

"Kim, do you love me more than these?"

God, I do,

and I'm too honest to not admit,

sometimes no, I also don't.

"So today, if you hear his voice,

do not harden your heart."

Never mind Meriba,

I need to hear his voice,

and pray my heart will 

"not grow hard in the time of testing."

If Jesus tells us to pray something,

we would do well to obey.

I know plenty of believers with cold hard hearts.

My job is not to judge,

it's to pray it wont happen to me,

keep my oil flask full,

waiting eagerly for him,

love him more than everything.

With all my heart,

all my soul,

all my strength,

all my mind.

and consider how I might spur others on.