Living in the Tension of the Now and Not Yet
There is a holy tension that every follower of Jesus lives in—the tension between the already and the not yet. Christ has already come once. He has conquered death, ascended to heaven, and poured out His Spirit upon the Church. And yet, we are still waiting. Waiting for the fullness. Waiting for the final act. Waiting for the King to return.
This season invites us into that waiting, but not a passive kind. This is not the waiting of an idle person at a bus stop. This is the waiting of a city preparing for a surprise royal visit. We are called to live as a people washed and waiting, actively preparing our lives and communities for the return of the One who promised, "Look, I am coming soon."
This kind of waiting requires courage. It asks us to resist the pull of apathy and distraction. It invites us into a story far bigger than ourselves—a story in which our daily obedience, our worship, our repentance, and our hope all contribute to the coming Kingdom. Our lives right now should reflect the glory and readiness of a people whose eyes are on the horizon and whose hands are busy with Kingdom work.
Like the faithful ones before us, we live in that sacred overlap of time. We are the people between resurrection and return. We are not passive spectators; we are active citizens of a Kingdom that is breaking in, even now. This is an invitation to live ready—not frantic, but faithful; not anxious, but alert. The King is coming. Let us live like it.
There is a holy tension that every follower of Jesus lives in—the tension between the already and the not yet. Christ has already come once. He has conquered death, ascended to heaven, and poured out His Spirit upon the Church. And yet, we are still waiting. Waiting for the fullness. Waiting for the final act. Waiting for the King to return.
This season invites us into that waiting, but not a passive kind. This is not the waiting of an idle person at a bus stop. This is the waiting of a city preparing for a surprise royal visit. We are called to live as a people washed and waiting, actively preparing our lives and communities for the return of the One who promised, "Look, I am coming soon."
This kind of waiting requires courage. It asks us to resist the pull of apathy and distraction. It invites us into a story far bigger than ourselves—a story in which our daily obedience, our worship, our repentance, and our hope all contribute to the coming Kingdom. Our lives right now should reflect the glory and readiness of a people whose eyes are on the horizon and whose hands are busy with Kingdom work.
Like the faithful ones before us, we live in that sacred overlap of time. We are the people between resurrection and return. We are not passive spectators; we are active citizens of a Kingdom that is breaking in, even now. This is an invitation to live ready—not frantic, but faithful; not anxious, but alert. The King is coming. Let us live like it.
The Royal Visit We Prepare For
In the ancient world, royal visits were rare and unannounced. A king might ride into a village without warning to inspect, to reward, or to correct. The wisest towns didn’t wait for the trumpet blast; they lived ready. Homes were tidied, streets swept, banners hung.
This image helps frame the message of Revelation 22. Jesus speaks, "Look, I am coming soon!" (v. 12). His words echo not with fear, but with urgency. This is a King we long to see.
Jesus’ declaration that He is coming soon is not about chronology—it’s about posture. The early church didn’t try to pin down dates and times; they lived every day as if it might be the day. They organized their communities, shaped their ethics, endured suffering, and extended hospitality because they believed that Jesus’ return was imminent. That belief shaped everything.
So how do we prepare for this King?
1. We Wash Through Repentance: The City Sweeps Its Streets
Repentance isn’t a once-and-done activity. It’s a rhythm. Like the townspeople who daily dust off the street for their king, we return again and again to the Lord in confession. Not because grace is scarce, but because our love compels us to stay ready.
Psalm 51:10 becomes our daily prayer: "Create in me a clean heart, O God." We confess not out of fear of rejection but from reverence and love.
In Acts 16, we find a Roman jailer whose life is radically turned. He begins the night as a keeper of chains, but after an earthquake and a midnight hymn, he ends it washed in the waters of baptism. His question to Paul and Silas is the most urgent question of all: "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16:30). Their answer: "Believe in the Lord Jesus."
Belief that leads to repentance. Repentance that prepares us. And not just a one-time washing, but a daily turning.
Theologian Eugene Peterson once called discipleship “a long obedience in the same direction.” Repentance is how we keep that direction clear. When we drift, when we sin, when our hearts grow cold—repentance reorients us.
Our culture often treats repentance as shameful or weak. But in the Kingdom of God, repentance is strength. It is the courageous act of realigning with the truth, no matter how far we’ve drifted.
And it is for everyone—not just for those "outside the church," but for seasoned believers, pastors, leaders, and everyday disciples. We all need to clean house.
2. We Wash Through Obedience: Loyalty to the Returning King
Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commands" (John 14:15). This is not rigid legalism; it is relational fidelity. Obedience flows from love. Like citizens aligning with the laws of their kingdom, we submit our lives to the ways of Jesus.
Obedience is never about earning. It's about honoring. We aren't frantically trying to impress God. We are faithfully showing our allegiance.
And obedience is deeply countercultural. In a world that values autonomy, Jesus calls us to surrender. In a culture that glorifies instant gratification, Jesus calls us to patience, perseverance, and holiness. Every act of obedience is a small declaration: “My King is coming, and I trust His ways over mine.”
Obedience also becomes a witness. The jailer's household didn’t just believe because of words. They saw the joy, peace, and self-restraint of Paul and Silas. Obedience shines. It shows the world a different way to be human.
Our obedience is not only personal but also communal. When the Church collectively lives under the authority of Christ, it becomes a radiant signpost of the Kingdom—a glimpse of heaven on earth.
3. We Wash Through Worship: Lifting Banners of Praise
When the King is coming, the city doesn’t just clean up. It decorates. Banners are hung, trumpets blare, songs rise. Worship is our banner.
Psalm 67 reminds us, "Let the peoples praise you, God; let all the peoples praise you." Worship isn't background noise. It's the soundtrack of readiness.
Worship is both resistance and remembrance. It resists the despair, distraction, and disillusionment that seek to numb us. It remembers the truth of who God is and what He has promised.
When Paul and Silas sing in prison, it's not a performance. It's preparation. Worship lifts our eyes from the prison cell to the returning King. They sang in chains because they knew their King was greater than their circumstances.
We, too, sing while we wait. We sing in hospitals and at gravesides. We sing in protests and vigils. We sing in joy and in heartbreak. Worship reminds us: the King is still coming.
4. We Wash Through the Word: Clothed in Truth
Psalm 119:9 asks, "How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping your word." Scripture isn't just ancient literature. It is the King's decrees. The words of Jesus, particularly in Revelation, aren't vague prophecy—they're battle cries for purity and perseverance.
We live in a noisy world. A world of headlines, hot takes, and endless notifications. Scripture cuts through the static. It centers us. It roots us.
To wash in the Word is to remember who we are and whose we are. It is to be clothed in something more enduring than cultural trends. It is to carry the story of redemption in our hearts so deeply that it shapes how we live, love, and lead.
And the Word isn’t just to be read. It’s to be eaten, digested, lived. Theologian Dallas Willard said, “We do not believe something by merely saying we believe it, or even when we believe that we believe it. We believe something when we act as if it were true.”
The Perseverance of Expectant Citizens
Revelation 22:12 again reminds us, "I am coming soon, and my reward is with me to repay each person according to his work." These are not the threats of a tyrant but the promises of a just King. The word "soon" isn't meant to stir up speculative charts or predictions—it is an invitation to urgency. Jesus wants us awake, alive, and attentive to His call in every season.
We don’t just prepare. We persevere. Waiting is hard. Hope is hard. But we are not called to easy faith—we are called to resilient, enduring, forward-looking faith. To live as a citizen of the coming Kingdom is to live in the tension between assurance and anticipation. We don’t scramble at the sound of trumpets; we live today as if they might sound tomorrow.
Perseverance is about staying rooted when the winds shift. It's about holding fast to what is true when the world tries to sway us into comfort, cynicism, or distraction. And in this waiting, there are three practices that keep our hearts anchored: living with expectation, serving with faithfulness, and longing with holy desire.
1. Expectation Changes Behavior
If we truly believed Jesus was returning soon, what would change?
Would we forgive that person we've been avoiding? Would we spend more time in prayer and less time scrolling? Would our choices with money, time, and relationships look any different?
Expectation is not about anxiety. It is about attentiveness. Just as a gardener tends the soil knowing the harvest is near, so we align our lives in expectation of the King's return. This is not hypothetical theology—it is daily discipleship.
The early church understood this well. Expectation infused everything they did. Their generosity, their hospitality, their boldness, and even their willingness to suffer were all shaped by a confident hope: Jesus is coming again. That reality lifted their gaze and steadied their hands.
We, too, must be shaped by that hope. It calls us to forgive quickly. To speak truthfully. To reconcile humbly. To reorder our lives so that eternity becomes the lens through which we see the present. Not just Sunday worship, but Monday decisions. Not just theology in our heads, but Kingdom values in our calendars, budgets, and relationships.
When we live in expectation, we’re not waiting for the world to change—we’re joining Jesus in changing the world.
2. Serving Faithfully: Preparing the Streets
Matthew 25:40 reminds us that every act of kindness done for "the least of these" is done unto Jesus. Preparing for the King means feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick, and welcoming the stranger. These are not just humanitarian actions—they are Kingdom declarations.
In the ancient world, whenever news of a royal visit broke, entire communities would spring into action. Roads were repaired. Buildings were whitewashed. Crowds gathered. Everyone had a role in preparing for the King. Likewise, every believer today is called to participate in the sacred work of Kingdom readiness.
Serving is not reserved for the qualified. It is the calling of the faithful. Faithful service may look like mentoring a teenager, delivering a meal, visiting a nursing home, or writing an encouraging note. It may mean speaking up for the voiceless, advocating for justice, or giving sacrificially. None of it is wasted.
In Acts 16, Paul and Silas served faithfully even in chains. Their midnight prayers and songs were acts of spiritual defiance against despair. Their kindness to the jailer transformed a family. That is the power of serving faithfully—it turns even prisons into places of encounter.
And it reminds us: faithfulness is not about the size of our task but the posture of our hearts. God is not looking for spotlight servants. He's looking for lamp-bearers—those who keep the flame of love alive in a dark world.
3. Longing for His Return: Lamps Lit in the Windows
Hope is not passive. It is fuel. It is what enables perseverance when the night feels long and the wait feels unending. Revelation ends not with a map of the end times but with a prayer: "Come, Lord Jesus."
That prayer is not wishful thinking. It is a declaration of alignment. It says: "We want what You want, Lord. We trust Your return. We long for Your Kingdom to come in fullness."
Longing isn’t weakness—it’s worship. A longing heart is a loyal heart. Just as lovers await a reunion, or children watch for a parent to return, the church watches for Christ. This longing keeps our lamps lit, our hearts soft, our spirits awake.
In a distracted world, longing is resistance. It’s easy to numb our anticipation with entertainment, busyness, or cynicism. But the faithful city keeps a light in the window. It waits, not with weariness but with wonder. It stays awake, not with dread but with delight.
This longing also shapes our mission. We want others to be ready too. We want our neighbors, coworkers, friends, and even our enemies to know the joy of the returning King. Our longing moves us to invite, to testify, to love.
And when life is hard—and it often is—our longing turns our eyes to the horizon. We remember that our Savior is not distant. He is coming. The world is not spiraling beyond redemption. It is groaning for restoration. And we, His people, groan with it—eager, hopeful, ready.
Reflections
Living as Citizens of the Coming Kingdom
The final words of Revelation are not theological treatises. They are prayers. "Come, Lord Jesus." Yet behind that simple prayer lies the heart of Christian discipleship—a readiness that is both hopeful and active. We do not merely wait for Jesus to return; we live now in light of His return.
To be washed and waiting is to be fully engaged in the present while anchored in the promise of what’s to come. It is to pursue holiness not out of fear but from a place of reverent love. It means carrying out our daily responsibilities with excellence, compassion, and Kingdom-minded vision. It means preparing our hearts, our homes, and our communities so that if the King were to return today, He would find us faithful.
This vision calls us to live with depth and focus in a distracted world. We must be a people of repentance, continually returning to the grace of God. We must obey joyfully, not from obligation but from a deep trust that the way of Jesus leads to life. We must worship expectantly, not because life is easy but because God is good. And we must serve generously, knowing that the smallest act of kindness has eternal impact when done in His name.
The Christian life, in this season between Christ's ascension and His return, is not a holding pattern—it is a holy pilgrimage. We walk it together, washed by grace, empowered by the Spirit, and oriented toward the King.
So let us be the city on the hill, a community that shines with anticipation and readiness. Let our streets be filled with the evidence of love, justice, mercy, and truth. Let our voices echo the song of Revelation: "The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come.'" And let our lives declare: "We are ready. Come, Lord Jesus."
In the ancient world, royal visits were rare and unannounced. A king might ride into a village without warning to inspect, to reward, or to correct. The wisest towns didn’t wait for the trumpet blast; they lived ready. Homes were tidied, streets swept, banners hung.
This image helps frame the message of Revelation 22. Jesus speaks, "Look, I am coming soon!" (v. 12). His words echo not with fear, but with urgency. This is a King we long to see.
Jesus’ declaration that He is coming soon is not about chronology—it’s about posture. The early church didn’t try to pin down dates and times; they lived every day as if it might be the day. They organized their communities, shaped their ethics, endured suffering, and extended hospitality because they believed that Jesus’ return was imminent. That belief shaped everything.
So how do we prepare for this King?
1. We Wash Through Repentance: The City Sweeps Its Streets
Repentance isn’t a once-and-done activity. It’s a rhythm. Like the townspeople who daily dust off the street for their king, we return again and again to the Lord in confession. Not because grace is scarce, but because our love compels us to stay ready.
Psalm 51:10 becomes our daily prayer: "Create in me a clean heart, O God." We confess not out of fear of rejection but from reverence and love.
In Acts 16, we find a Roman jailer whose life is radically turned. He begins the night as a keeper of chains, but after an earthquake and a midnight hymn, he ends it washed in the waters of baptism. His question to Paul and Silas is the most urgent question of all: "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16:30). Their answer: "Believe in the Lord Jesus."
Belief that leads to repentance. Repentance that prepares us. And not just a one-time washing, but a daily turning.
Theologian Eugene Peterson once called discipleship “a long obedience in the same direction.” Repentance is how we keep that direction clear. When we drift, when we sin, when our hearts grow cold—repentance reorients us.
Our culture often treats repentance as shameful or weak. But in the Kingdom of God, repentance is strength. It is the courageous act of realigning with the truth, no matter how far we’ve drifted.
And it is for everyone—not just for those "outside the church," but for seasoned believers, pastors, leaders, and everyday disciples. We all need to clean house.
2. We Wash Through Obedience: Loyalty to the Returning King
Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commands" (John 14:15). This is not rigid legalism; it is relational fidelity. Obedience flows from love. Like citizens aligning with the laws of their kingdom, we submit our lives to the ways of Jesus.
Obedience is never about earning. It's about honoring. We aren't frantically trying to impress God. We are faithfully showing our allegiance.
And obedience is deeply countercultural. In a world that values autonomy, Jesus calls us to surrender. In a culture that glorifies instant gratification, Jesus calls us to patience, perseverance, and holiness. Every act of obedience is a small declaration: “My King is coming, and I trust His ways over mine.”
Obedience also becomes a witness. The jailer's household didn’t just believe because of words. They saw the joy, peace, and self-restraint of Paul and Silas. Obedience shines. It shows the world a different way to be human.
Our obedience is not only personal but also communal. When the Church collectively lives under the authority of Christ, it becomes a radiant signpost of the Kingdom—a glimpse of heaven on earth.
3. We Wash Through Worship: Lifting Banners of Praise
When the King is coming, the city doesn’t just clean up. It decorates. Banners are hung, trumpets blare, songs rise. Worship is our banner.
Psalm 67 reminds us, "Let the peoples praise you, God; let all the peoples praise you." Worship isn't background noise. It's the soundtrack of readiness.
Worship is both resistance and remembrance. It resists the despair, distraction, and disillusionment that seek to numb us. It remembers the truth of who God is and what He has promised.
When Paul and Silas sing in prison, it's not a performance. It's preparation. Worship lifts our eyes from the prison cell to the returning King. They sang in chains because they knew their King was greater than their circumstances.
We, too, sing while we wait. We sing in hospitals and at gravesides. We sing in protests and vigils. We sing in joy and in heartbreak. Worship reminds us: the King is still coming.
4. We Wash Through the Word: Clothed in Truth
Psalm 119:9 asks, "How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping your word." Scripture isn't just ancient literature. It is the King's decrees. The words of Jesus, particularly in Revelation, aren't vague prophecy—they're battle cries for purity and perseverance.
We live in a noisy world. A world of headlines, hot takes, and endless notifications. Scripture cuts through the static. It centers us. It roots us.
To wash in the Word is to remember who we are and whose we are. It is to be clothed in something more enduring than cultural trends. It is to carry the story of redemption in our hearts so deeply that it shapes how we live, love, and lead.
And the Word isn’t just to be read. It’s to be eaten, digested, lived. Theologian Dallas Willard said, “We do not believe something by merely saying we believe it, or even when we believe that we believe it. We believe something when we act as if it were true.”
The Perseverance of Expectant Citizens
Revelation 22:12 again reminds us, "I am coming soon, and my reward is with me to repay each person according to his work." These are not the threats of a tyrant but the promises of a just King. The word "soon" isn't meant to stir up speculative charts or predictions—it is an invitation to urgency. Jesus wants us awake, alive, and attentive to His call in every season.
We don’t just prepare. We persevere. Waiting is hard. Hope is hard. But we are not called to easy faith—we are called to resilient, enduring, forward-looking faith. To live as a citizen of the coming Kingdom is to live in the tension between assurance and anticipation. We don’t scramble at the sound of trumpets; we live today as if they might sound tomorrow.
Perseverance is about staying rooted when the winds shift. It's about holding fast to what is true when the world tries to sway us into comfort, cynicism, or distraction. And in this waiting, there are three practices that keep our hearts anchored: living with expectation, serving with faithfulness, and longing with holy desire.
1. Expectation Changes Behavior
If we truly believed Jesus was returning soon, what would change?
Would we forgive that person we've been avoiding? Would we spend more time in prayer and less time scrolling? Would our choices with money, time, and relationships look any different?
Expectation is not about anxiety. It is about attentiveness. Just as a gardener tends the soil knowing the harvest is near, so we align our lives in expectation of the King's return. This is not hypothetical theology—it is daily discipleship.
The early church understood this well. Expectation infused everything they did. Their generosity, their hospitality, their boldness, and even their willingness to suffer were all shaped by a confident hope: Jesus is coming again. That reality lifted their gaze and steadied their hands.
We, too, must be shaped by that hope. It calls us to forgive quickly. To speak truthfully. To reconcile humbly. To reorder our lives so that eternity becomes the lens through which we see the present. Not just Sunday worship, but Monday decisions. Not just theology in our heads, but Kingdom values in our calendars, budgets, and relationships.
When we live in expectation, we’re not waiting for the world to change—we’re joining Jesus in changing the world.
2. Serving Faithfully: Preparing the Streets
Matthew 25:40 reminds us that every act of kindness done for "the least of these" is done unto Jesus. Preparing for the King means feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick, and welcoming the stranger. These are not just humanitarian actions—they are Kingdom declarations.
In the ancient world, whenever news of a royal visit broke, entire communities would spring into action. Roads were repaired. Buildings were whitewashed. Crowds gathered. Everyone had a role in preparing for the King. Likewise, every believer today is called to participate in the sacred work of Kingdom readiness.
Serving is not reserved for the qualified. It is the calling of the faithful. Faithful service may look like mentoring a teenager, delivering a meal, visiting a nursing home, or writing an encouraging note. It may mean speaking up for the voiceless, advocating for justice, or giving sacrificially. None of it is wasted.
In Acts 16, Paul and Silas served faithfully even in chains. Their midnight prayers and songs were acts of spiritual defiance against despair. Their kindness to the jailer transformed a family. That is the power of serving faithfully—it turns even prisons into places of encounter.
And it reminds us: faithfulness is not about the size of our task but the posture of our hearts. God is not looking for spotlight servants. He's looking for lamp-bearers—those who keep the flame of love alive in a dark world.
3. Longing for His Return: Lamps Lit in the Windows
Hope is not passive. It is fuel. It is what enables perseverance when the night feels long and the wait feels unending. Revelation ends not with a map of the end times but with a prayer: "Come, Lord Jesus."
That prayer is not wishful thinking. It is a declaration of alignment. It says: "We want what You want, Lord. We trust Your return. We long for Your Kingdom to come in fullness."
Longing isn’t weakness—it’s worship. A longing heart is a loyal heart. Just as lovers await a reunion, or children watch for a parent to return, the church watches for Christ. This longing keeps our lamps lit, our hearts soft, our spirits awake.
In a distracted world, longing is resistance. It’s easy to numb our anticipation with entertainment, busyness, or cynicism. But the faithful city keeps a light in the window. It waits, not with weariness but with wonder. It stays awake, not with dread but with delight.
This longing also shapes our mission. We want others to be ready too. We want our neighbors, coworkers, friends, and even our enemies to know the joy of the returning King. Our longing moves us to invite, to testify, to love.
And when life is hard—and it often is—our longing turns our eyes to the horizon. We remember that our Savior is not distant. He is coming. The world is not spiraling beyond redemption. It is groaning for restoration. And we, His people, groan with it—eager, hopeful, ready.
Reflections
- What areas of your life need a fresh washing?
- What habits help—or hinder—your daily preparation for Christ's return?
- Who do you need to share the hope of Jesus with before He comes again?
Living as Citizens of the Coming Kingdom
The final words of Revelation are not theological treatises. They are prayers. "Come, Lord Jesus." Yet behind that simple prayer lies the heart of Christian discipleship—a readiness that is both hopeful and active. We do not merely wait for Jesus to return; we live now in light of His return.
To be washed and waiting is to be fully engaged in the present while anchored in the promise of what’s to come. It is to pursue holiness not out of fear but from a place of reverent love. It means carrying out our daily responsibilities with excellence, compassion, and Kingdom-minded vision. It means preparing our hearts, our homes, and our communities so that if the King were to return today, He would find us faithful.
This vision calls us to live with depth and focus in a distracted world. We must be a people of repentance, continually returning to the grace of God. We must obey joyfully, not from obligation but from a deep trust that the way of Jesus leads to life. We must worship expectantly, not because life is easy but because God is good. And we must serve generously, knowing that the smallest act of kindness has eternal impact when done in His name.
The Christian life, in this season between Christ's ascension and His return, is not a holding pattern—it is a holy pilgrimage. We walk it together, washed by grace, empowered by the Spirit, and oriented toward the King.
So let us be the city on the hill, a community that shines with anticipation and readiness. Let our streets be filled with the evidence of love, justice, mercy, and truth. Let our voices echo the song of Revelation: "The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come.'" And let our lives declare: "We are ready. Come, Lord Jesus."
Posted in Pastor
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