13 Looking for the blessed hope
and glorious appearing
of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ Titus 2:13 (NKJV)
By Bro. John L. Cash
A quarter century ago, when I was a middle school teacher, I had something terrible happen. I came down with the stomach virus the night before the last day of school. I don’t know if you know this, but when you’re a teacher, there’s just no missing the last day of school. You’re responsible for giving the last set of final exams, grading them, and putting all the averages in the cumulative folders. You can’t “call in.” You have to “crawl in.”
My mom once had a bad stomach virus and described it by saying, “I would have to get better to die.” That’s how I felt, too. Susan was taking care of me, and she was so very sweet. She came into the bedroom, with the hope that she could help. She sat on the edge of the bed and said, “What can I do for you, Honey?” I said, “Please just sit here and hold my hand., and maybe I won’t die.” I was in a bad way.
Later, she asked me if I would like it if she turned the television on really low for a little room-noise. I told her I thought that was a good idea. In those early years, our bedroom TV was an ancient black-and-white that only picked up the local ABC station. You pretty much only had one choice of what program you were going to watch.
Well, our local station happened to be broadcasting Billy Graham Evangelistic Crusade. And as the program was beginning, Dr. Graham (as only he can) boldly proclaimed: “The Lord Jesus Christ is coming back very soon!” And, in my profound illness I thought to myself, “Oh, Dr. Graham! If only the Lord Jesus would come back right now so that I wouldn’t have to go to school tomorrow….”
Well, that was a long time ago, and by the grace of God I was able to complete that last day of school and close out that school year. And even though that crisis is long past, I still agree with my original sentiment. The Lord Jesus is coming again, very soon. And there is no problem that any of us have that the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ will not solve. That’s why the Scriptures refer to the Second Coming as “the blessed hope.”
Let’s lean on Him today, as we prepare, hope (and yearn) for His returning.
Dr. John L. Cash is the “Country Preacher Dad.” He was raised in Stuttgart, Arkansas, and has spent the last 32 years being a country preacher in the piney woods five miles south of the little town of Hickory, Mississippi. He recently retired after 28 years as a Mississippi public schoolteacher, and is now a stay-at-home-grandpa with his new grandson, Landon Cash. He and his lovely wife, Susan, recently moved to a brick house in town (where the autumn leaves are falling.) Their kids include Spencer (age 26), his wife Madeline (age 26), and Seth (age 23), and his wife Leanne (age 22). You can send him a note at brotherjohn@ilovechurchcamp.com. To read more of Brother John’s devotions, click here.
