In a house full of boys, few things unfold sweetly.
To be sure, momma tries. I meticulously fill the tiny boxes of our Advent calendar with vintage candy before placing it in its annual place of honor on the shelf in our living room. I stack the paper ornaments that feature a daily verse about Jesus next to the tiny tree where we hang one each day of Advent. I set the table with four long, tapered candles, one to light each Sunday of the season of anticipation.
But then…things get real.
My four little boys inevitably begin their month-long argument about whose turn it is to do what. Life gets busy, and we miss a day here, two there. Somebody didn’t get as much candy as someone else. One brother yells at another that he’s reading too slowly, another weaponizes his ornament to bop his brother on the head.
In my experience, Advent is rarely bathed in soft candlelight or wrapped in warm fuzzies. Waiting is hard, and little boys aren’t the only ones prone to fumble their way through this season of sacred expectation.
It’s hard to stay focused on Jesus for the twenty-some days before Christmas morning. There are so many other things to do, so many shining but shallow objects vying for our affections. But isn’t this season just rehearsal for a more significant wait? Advent doesn’t stop with the at-long-last arrival of Christmas morning. Every day marked off on our calendar moves us one day closer to the second Advent—that glorious day when Jesus finally and forever returns. As much as we long for that day and join with creation in groaning for it, we’re also easily distracted from it, prone to focus on the insignificant instead of the hope of Immanuel, God again with us.
Of course we’re not the first followers of Jesus to wait with fidgety hearts. There’s a doubting Thomas in each of us, prone to say, “We don’t know where you’re going. How can we know the way?” (John 14:5).
Yet whether it seems like it or not, this wait won’t last forever. Our promise-keeping Savior will surely keep His word.
“If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also.”
—John 14:3
So do what you have to do to help your heart remember. Fill the boxes. Light the candles. String the tree. In the middle of the mess, keep waiting. When your heart grows faint, press on. Keep gathering your little ones close and keep counting past Christmas morning because when it comes to Jesus, the best is always yet to come.
He who testifies about these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”
Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
—Revelation 22:20
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61 thoughts on "The Everlasting One Will Come Again"
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Adrienne- here is what I would use
Vegan – Romans 14:2 and Peter’s vision in Acts 10 beginning with verse 9
All go to heaven – Romans Ephesians 2:9 and Romans 3:10 and John 14:6
I hope this helps
In the same way he went, He is coming again. Amen! I believe that! ♥️
This is so real of my life with 4 children – now grown, and now two grand littles and 4 in love marriage children
I am just blessed they long each other in the mitz of who is winning and who is not —
In the middle of the messes, keep waiting.
❤
KELLY (NEO) and MARIA BAER… I went to delete my post, and she had already responded with this…
“Adrienne….you are wonderful and I thank you for sharing. I disagree. I don’t believe the bible is “everything”. I believe that different people and cultures throughout our beautiful planet have their own faith and relationship with their creator. It’s all valid and all the same diety, just filtered through their time, place and culture. We will all enjoy living with and loving one another hopefully, here as well as in eternity. I came to this conclusion as a former AOG Christian. Bless you and let’s put this aside in love.️”
ADRIENNE – that’s really sad. You’d be surprised at how many people with that belief I saw when ministering as a chaplain.
KELLY (NEO) and MARIA BAER… I ended up posting this reply. (I hit post before even thinking if a private message woulda been better. But I hope that more eyes seeing my reply might be a good approach.) I was really bothered by the comment that everyone, Christian or not, would all be together again. Maybe I looked too deep into it… oh well!
“I know this isn’t the proper forum, but I wanted to reply. My MIL has no filter and told my mom once, that there will be a lot of nice people in hell. I agree but wouldn’t have said it that way. Jesus said many times that He is the way. (In the Bible, the book of John is a good read!) So… I’m just giving people something to “chew on”. I don’t wish to start any debates and hope not to make anyone angry, but there is a lot at stake that many don’t even think about. Eternity is a long time, and where we spend that eternity matters. I have been praying and thinking about if and how I wanted to put into words what I wanted to say.”
So, we’ll see how it goes…
ADRIENNE – first, ask is commenting publicly a way to bring that person to an understanding of salvation or would a private message be better? Second is this someone you know personally where face-to-face relationship gives you a better way to ask questions to determine where the person is in his or her spiritual journey?
In a way it is true all will go to heaven, but after coming before the Lord’s judgment seat, not all will stay there.
Praying the Lord guides you in your response
Yes!! Jesus will return for His beloved! I am so grateful and excited for that day to finally arrive. In the meantime I want to be prepared and willing to share Jesus with others, be it family or friends or coworkers or neighbors. Help me Lord to be a good steward of what you have appointed to me and have placed in my care. I am thankful for my salvation!! Let me never lose that zeal. Thank you Jesus!!
Have a great evening and last couple of these days of 2023. Next year we will be ready to tackle anything the enemy tries to throw at us because God is Almighty! Love and Hugs to all you SHES out there. ❤️❤️
Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! ❤️
Praying for enough money to get through. Help me Jesus! God Is always so faithful to provide! Amen
I pray that I will choose to focus on Jesus coming back. When my focus is on that, I believe that my priorities change. I want to know how to witness to others about who you are Jesus.
“Every day marked off our calendar brings us one day closer to the second advent…”. What a good reminder for me today and every day. Come, Jesus, come!
♥️
I love how so many share how they celebrate Advent. This devotional was very sweet! Thank you Searching for praying for my Dad, his name is Rod and I’ll keep planting seeds. Yesterday I showed him Kris’s post as I was up early in the kitchen reading SRT. My Dad has been very generous for the past 20 years with me and my siblings, giving us early inheritance money twice a year which is such a blessing. Praying for you and your family, A Walton, Martha Hix and many others who are sick and or just couldn’t enjoy the holiday celebrations as hoped with dear ones.
Father I can’t wait until I am home with you wrapped in your arms for real! I pray that before that happens my family turns back to you and lives for you and who you created them to be. I pray I continue being an example to them and those around me. I want my love for you and your people to be the legacy I leave behind.
Prayers right now, please?!?!?!
I’ve mentioned before that I am “in the heart of the enemy camp” in some other social platforms, related to weight lose (a Christian vegan… whaaaaat?!?!?!) Someone made a comment that there are many ways to heaven and everyone will be there. Um… no! How do I respond? I imagine I might make others angry. I want to tell the truth in love and hope to get others thinking. And if you have any words, sweet sisters, I’ll take ‘em! TIA!
I always go to John 14:6 when Jesus himself said— “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
Praying for wisdom for you Adrienne.
Thomas said, “We don’t know where you are going, how can we know the way?” Jesus IS the Way, the truth, and the life! As we wait for his second coming, we do not wait without a purpose. The Lord gave us a mission. To follow the Way and share him with others. He has continued to teach me more about his character through every season of my life so far and I’m so thankful for that…even though those seasons were not easy. He has given me a deeper love for his Word. I am planning to study Romans in January, probably using a mix of SRT and other commentaries. I’m ready for a deep dive! But I’ll still be checking back on prayer requests and commenting to say hi. Thank you all for your prayers for me, it means so much. I am having to continually practice how to be joyful in Christ and satisfied in Him, while still having the longing to glorify and reflect him through a relationship. So thankful he hears all my prayers. He ultimately knows the timing of everything. Praying I would trust Him and keep running the race with endurance, with my eyes fixed on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith!
Our God won’t leave us abandoned in this world. Come Jesus!! I’m ready. (Or at least I think I am).
I’m sure I have so much work to do to be prepared in my heart. To tell others about Jesus. To share His message.
Today – especially in this time of waiting God has put Isaiah 40:31 on my heart “but those that trust in the Lord (a song I sing is they that wait upon the Lord) will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint” . Praying for you she’s as we wait upon the Lord – may we be His light in the waiting! ☮️❤️
Amen! Come, LORD Jesus!
As a mama of three littles, today’s devotion resonated with me quite a bit — but then again, Erin Davis’s devotions usually do.
God help us to wait. It can be so very hard.
It makes me think of the song that Fred Rogers used to sing on his television show with Daniel Striped Tiger. “Sometimes it’s really, really, really hard to wait, especially when you’re waiting for something very nice. Sometimes it’s really, really, really hard to wait.”
Boy, he was not kidding. He may have been talking about something more mundane, but the weight of these words cannot be missed.
Seeing the pain in this world, not just at large, but close by, the frustration of my coworkers — Frustration isn’t even the right word. It’s more like angst — with how things are and how they don’t seem to ever change…
It’s so hard to wait for you, LORD.
Please come.
Make us all ready.
Every day marked off on our calendar moves us one day closer to the second Advent— that glorious day when Jesus finally and forever returns. Love this Erin Davis. Oh…oh…perhaps today! Keep gathering our little ones close to you…love this too. My little ones aren’t little anymore, BUT to me they will ALWAYS be my little ones as I’m sure to most moms and after Jesus (my #1 LOVE of my life), my kids come next. MY son did not want a celebration when he graduated from BIOLA. When covid sent everyone home from College, he decided to complete college online and he did! So yesterday we went to Monterey, CA and surprised him with his graduation card and $$. It was a sweet celebration of just my son Caleb, daughter Alyssa and I. We had a WONDERFUL time. My son even mentioned that this has been one of the best Christmases he’s had in a long time. My ending thoughts this morning: WHEN it comes to Jesus, the BEST is yet to come. Come Lord Jesus. “YES, I am coming soon.” Rev 22.20
A Walton, praying for healing for your family. To be sick during the holiday and then be away from home is really difficult. May today be a turning point toward healing and may you find some rest. Hugs. Remembering each of you sisters in prayer today. Would like prayers for my daughter-in-law Leah and family as her dad entered hospice this week. Thank you.
DONNA WOLCOTT – I’m praying for Leah, her dad and her whole family. I pray that this time allows everyone to say their goodbyes and prepare their hearts for the day her dad goes home to be with the Lord.
I used to be a hospice chaplain, and know the love and sweetness that even such a sad time can bring. I always felt like I was on sacred ground when praying with my hospice patients and their families.
Good morning sweet SRT sisters! I am lifting my prayers for each of you today.
A WALTON—praying that your entire family will be completely healed (especially you) since momma doesn’t get any sick leave. How much longer will your family be in the States? ❤️
VENUS GLASS—praying for physical and mental healing for your Aunt Deborah. ❤️
MICHELLE PATIRE—praying that our awesome God will give you His strength and peace during this time of difficulty. May things with your family get better and may they all come to know Jesus. ❤️
GRAMIESUE—How is Steve and how are you? Praying God’s supernatural strength for both of you. ❤️
TERESA DONLEY—praying that your symptoms will continue to subside and you will feel God’s presence. ❤️
SARAH D, KIMBERLY Z, and all our single ladies—praying that God will give you strength and peace as you wait for His perfect mate and perfect timing. ❤️
GAYLE CRAIK—Is your grandbaby here yet?
What did you decide to do for treatment? I pray for wisdom and healing for you. ❤️
RHONDA J, MERCY, CEE GEE, SHARON JERSEY GIRL, SEARCHING, MARI V, TINA, and all the others I want to mention but don’t have time—you are loved, prayed for, and appreciated. ❤️
DEANNA RASCH—has your grandbaby arrived yet? How is that situation? ❤️
KRIS—did your son move to New Zealand as planned? Are you okay? ❤️
LINDA IN NC, NANCY S, SUSAN LANDRETH (and any other caregivers)—praying we can all be strong both physically, mentally, and emotionally. ❤️
I would still love to connect with any of you who are on FB. LynneJohnstonBurton in Trussville AL. It is so nice getting to have a more personal connection with my dear sisters. I’m praying for each of you! Have a blessed day and Happy New Year! ❤️
I will connect with you Lynne. My name is Tricia Cavanaugh on fb.
Lynne from Alabama – I will connect with you on Facebook. My name on there is Teresa Cooper Donley. Thank you for your prayers for me. God is answering.
Amen! ❤️
I did a double take this morning as I started to read the Scripture selections. I read the verses of the day on Bible Gateway website before I pasted the SRT references and as they came up, the first one was also from John 14. BG included vs 1 from John 14 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.” Amen.
Yes, Jesus is coming back! Joining KELLY (NEO) in praying as I am also easily distracted. May we keep Him as our main focus as we go throughout our days.
MARTHA HIX – praying for healing and metallic taste to be gone! And that you will be able to visit family soon.
TRACI GENDRON – the tears started as I read your comment yesterday. There is much to mourn as things degenerate in our world. As I typed “degenerate” I wondered if I had used it in proper context – quick lookup confirmed yes, even more so than I thought. Two definitions popped up: 1) having lost the physical, mental, or moral qualities considered normal and desirable; showing evidence of decline: and 2) lacking some property, order, or distinctness of structure previously or usually present.
Lord help us all.
D W – praying for your son. I have at least one person in my life that is in what I call a rut. Praying your son will seek the Lord and have the desire instilled in his heart to start with one change, and that it will lead to other changes and put him on the Lord’s path for him.
SARAH D – joining you in prayer for the best focus as we enter a new year.
MERCY! thank you for asking, saw most of family at Christmas so it was good!
CEE GEE ❤️ thank you for Scriptures shared yesterday. And wifi issues are so frustrating- glad yours got straightened out.
PAMELA AILEEN – piggybacking one of KELLY (NEO)’s prayer notebook suggestions – maybe screenshot the comments you’d like to have for reference? Maybe start a notebook for those?
TINA ❤️ keep ‘em coming!
VENUS GLASS – praying for your Aunt Deborah’s complete healing
A WALTON – oh, goodness! Continuing to praying for healing of your whole family!!!
LAURA DIANNE – thank you for sharing the HRT quote
RHONDA J – *I love …! foggy eyes this morning and I missed that in proofreading!
MARIA BAER and KENDRA COSTNER… that podcast episode is in my queue. I will listen to it today!
And, TINA, your mis-hearing story was so funny! I knew that sharing Gary’s name at the start of your story was significant… now we know why… Heeheehee!
And JULIA MACFARLAND… “present” is a word I am using to keep me focused this year. Most specifically, it will help my communication/relationship with my husband (but will be good with my preschool class too… and thank you, Erin Davis… your devotion fits with my classroom and my family… but I just had two boys in my house and both are out of the house now… I remember the days highlighted in the devotion.) And help me and my sweet She’s to be present, Lord, as we wait for your second Advent!
Waiting for the second advent doesn’t mean I just sit and wait. I am to work at drawing others to Him. We are to be His hands and feet until His return. Our greatest resource is the Sword of Truth, the Word, but do I use it the way I should?!
I am challenged once again to work hard to memorize the Word! Tony Evans Study Bible says of Revelation 19:15 – “This sword is the Word of God. From Genesis to Revelation, Jesus is pictured as possessing and wielding the authoritative Word. As followers of Jesus, then, we must not simply know God’s Word or study it, but also verbally quote it. It carries intrinsic authority to accomplish God’s purposes. In some cases, it draws a person to salvation. In others, it causes a hardened sinner to be without excuse for his or her conduct. In no situation, however, will a child of God verbally quote and obey the Word of God and have that Word return empty (see Isa 55:11).”
RHONDA J – Olive your heart for ministering in your groups! You are an inspiration to all of us.
You teachers who use your platform to share Jesus are an inspiration to us!
You who share Jesus through daily encounters are an inspiration to us!
You prayer warriors are an inspiration to us!
Whether we are ready or not, the Bridegroom is coming! Even so, come!
We sing this song at church:
All of creation
All of the Earth
Make straight a highway
A path for the Lord
Jesus is coming soon
Call back the sinner
Wake up the saint
Let every nation
Shout of Your fame
Jesus is coming soon
Like a bride
Waiting for her groom
We’ll be a church
Ready for You
Every heart longing for our King
We sing
Even so come
Lord Jesus come
Even so come
Lord Jesus come
There will be justice
All will be new
Your name forever
Faithful and true
Jesus is coming soon
Like a bride
Waiting for her groom
We’ll be a church
Ready for You
Every heart longing for our King
We sing
Even so come
Lord Jesus come
Even so come
Lord Jesus come
So we wait
We wait for You
God we wait
You’re coming soon
So we wait
We wait for You
God we wait
You’re coming soon
Like a bride
Waiting for her groom
We’ll be a church
Ready for You
Every heart longing for our King
We sing
Like a bride
Waiting for her groom
We’ll be a church
We’ll b ready for You
Every heart longing for our King
We sing
Even so come
Lord Jesus come
Even so come
Lord Jesus come
Even so come
Lord Jesus come
Even so come
Lord Jesus come
Songwriters: Jess Cates, Jason Ingram, Chris Tomlin. For non-commercial use only.
Yes CEE GEE! We need to be about our Father’s business! Thank you for the song. I do like it!
“Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen, Come Lord Jesus! What a powerful reminder to keep on waiting and watching!
One step closer to you Jesus! If only we had a countdown but on days when I struggle may I remember I am one step closer to being home!
@ A Walton- you poor dear, I can’t imagine how tired you are and just your heart strings when your littles are sick, and then doing your mom duties when you’re sick as well. Prayers that it leaves your house.
Still dealing with sickness in my family. It has been over two weeks. My youngest son (5) has it worst right now. My husband’s time with his family is coming to an end and we have just been sick! He’s very disappointed about that. They had various things planned for us all to do together, but things haven’t gone as planned. Please continue to pray for healing. My husband and 8 year old are feeling better. My 10 year old avoided it. It’s just my twin one year olds, my 5 year old and I. I was up multiple times last night caring for them all. I keep hoping we are getting over it and it seems to never end.
Praying for you and your family. Don’t be discouraged and stay strong. I am just getting over being sick as well. I had the stomach flu and I had it over Christmas.
A WALTON – I’m praying for complete healing for you and your family.
Come, Lord Jesus, we welcome you, but in the meantime help me to be ever present with you as you are with me. Help me to be patient when I want to rush and to enjoy the gift of the present by giving thanks in the presence for the present that it is!
I love advent calendars. I have quite a few that I put up every year before December. When my kids were all home (and even for awhile when they were away at college over the phone) we used to open or read or build each one every night to countdown to Christmas. The excitement of that season was so fun and for awhile, I really missed it and mourned the loss of it. My kids have been out of the house for awhile, and I have come to appreciate a new excitement for the countdown to Christmas, one that includes the waiting for Christ’s return. It is year-long and so much better. I love this line from HRT: “Though I’ve never physically walked with Jesus, I don’t live without His Helper. Jesus didn’t leave us hanging, and there’s no empty interlude.” The anticipation of Christ’s return can feel long, the wait is hard sometimes, but it is not empty.
I’m ready for the Jesus to return
Come!
“As much as we long for that day and join with creation in groaning for it, we’re also easily distracted from it, prone to focus on the insignificant instead of the hope of Immanuel, God again with us.”
LORD, forgive me for being so easily distracted from focusing fully on You!
D W – joining you in prayer for your son.
VENUS GLASS – praying for your aunt’s fuĺl and complete recovery.
MARTHA HIX – praying that your health turns around and your back to full health quickly
MICHELLE PATIRE – praying the Lord encourages you today.
SARAH D – praying that as you seek the Lord for direction, He makes your next steps abundantly clear.
Come Lord, Jesus. This was my thought throughout this season. And will continue to be. Yesterday, I was listening to Lisa Harper podcast and one of their discussions just settled in my heart and gave me a new sense of expectation. They said (I’m paraphrasing) that to live a Christian life is to think of Christmas, not as a place, but as a lifestyle; as a behavior to carry over the other 364 days of the year, because the incarnation of Jesus is one of the cornerstones of the Christian faith.
I know that I haven’t always thought like that, so it is a great reminder that Christmas is just not one day because we now wait for the second Advent with hope to see the King of Kings return. And this way of thinking about Christmas is definitely something for me to be more intentional about in the new year. Come Lord, Jesus.
I heard that podcast as well and it really resonated with me. For most of 2023, “come Lord, Jesus” has been the anthem of my heart. This was the first advent season that I was able to view it through that lens.
Kendra— same! I also think coming through a season where we studied a lot of Old Testament really postures the heart to have that “Come Lord Jesus” anthem in my heart.
Oh Jesus renew a burning love in my heart that lights up those around me for loving You and eagerly awaiting Your return. Come Lord Jesus, come.
I so eagerly await His Return, to see my Jesus, my Lord and Savior face to face is beyond comprehension!!!
This reminds me of the song “Soon” by Hillsong or Brooke Ligertwood…
Some of the lyrics — “Though I have not seen Him
My heart knows Him well
Jesus Christ the Lamb
The Lord of heaven”
❤️❤️❤️
Amen
The best is always yet to come with Jesus. My aunt has been sick in the hospital this entire holiday season. Her name is Deborah. If anybody can please pray for her mind and her body to be completely healed
@Venus, praying for your aunt, complete healing and wholeness in Jesus’ Name!!
Prayers for your Aunt Deborah, Benus.
I am praying for a Deborah to have complete healing, and for you to have peace and comfort, knowing that people are praying for her, and that God will never leave her.
Maranatha ❤️
I am recalling the day I responded to a phone call that my brothers best friend, Gary Mitchell, had died. I hopped on a bus to go and be with my brother to support him. On the way, at a bus stop, I saw Gary Mitchell! I looked, I stared, my face pressed against the window as the bus moved away and Gary Mitchell was out of sight.
My legs were jelly when I got off the bus, and when I got to my brothers, I fell onto the sofa, shaking!
Partially composed, I told him I had just seen Gary Mitchell at the bus stop. My brother asked. ” did he look okay” Confused I slowly said “Yeess”
My brothers response was ” I’m meeting him later”
Okay. STOP!
I was missing something here, so I asked my brother if Gary had died.. “No, sis, his dad died in his sleep last night”
Phew! I had heard the news wrongly.
Here’s the thing, I have told of my ‘mis- hearing’ in humour, but, am I ready for the call that Jesus’ second coming is here. That HE is here. That these words/promises of so long ago, and from His Word..
He who testifies about these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” have come true..
Am I truly ready as I respond,
Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
BUT GOD..
Praise God who guides me to His Word of truth,and promise. Who leads me as I wait for Jesus’ return. My God, who prepares me each day, for a brighter tomorrow, a tomorrow that non of us know what it holds, or how it will unfold, but look forward to it in anticipation, as we hold fast to the promises of Jesus’ and the Word.
AMEN, COME, LORD JESUS!
AMEN.
Happy Friday! Wrapped in love and hugs, and covered in prayers, requested and of heart.. Be Blessed ♥️
Come Lord Jesus come ❤️