by Victoria Heinecke

E’en so, Lord, quickly come

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
James 1:2-3 New International Version (NIV)

The weather was forecast to be 102 degrees, and the heat index was 112. The humidity covered us like a blanket in the heat, and in spite of our best efforts to cope, we had to cut our trip to the zoo short. We drove a short distance to the train station and bought our ticket for downtown. As we approached the platform, we saw a train depart. The next train would arrive in twenty minutes, so we sat at the platform and waited.

And waited.

Twenty minutes felt like an hour as we sat on that platform, outdoors, with no respite from that humid blanket. Eventually, the train arrived, and we stepped into the air conditioned car. At last, we were relieved.

It was only twenty minutes.

Waiting for the Lord’s return can seem like an eternity while we live in troubled times. Our bodies feel its effects as we age, and chronic disease sets in. How do we begin to make the world a better place?

“My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”
John 14:2-3 NIV

A hallmark of the Christian disciple is perseverance. We do not sit in the heat idly while waiting for the Lord’s return. We may not be able to escape the weight of the world’s problems, but we can extend the love of Jesus within our spheres of influence. In our opportunities to share kindness and compassion, we can be a glass of water to someone who may be suffering in ways we cannot know.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado