Longing For Jesus’ Return

When I was young, I loved going to Chick-fil-A, a US-based fast-food restaurant, for waffle fries and sweet tea. When, as an adult, I moved to another state, I was shocked to discover there weren’t any locations for hundreds of miles! On family road trips, we’d even plan our routes to allow for stops at Chick-fil-A, all the while hoping someday one would open closer to home.

Longing. We all experience it. Sometimes we don’t actually need what we long for, such as a favorite restaurant. Other times, our longings reflect deeper, more desperate yearnings.

Writing to the Philippian believers, Paul reminded them to live their lives in light of their deepest longing—Christ’s return and the full coming of His kingdom (Philippians 3:20). Jesus’ coming would make everything whole and transform believers to be like Him (v. 21).

Rather than merely longing for what can’t bring lasting satisfaction, Paul says it’s this coming reality that believers “eagerly await” (v. 20)—the day when there will be no more suffering, when we’ll see Jesus face-to-face.

Knowing our longings will one day be satisfied gives us the hope we need to live for Christ each day (vv. 12-14).

A Chick-fil-A recently opened a few miles from my house, a small reminder that a much more important longing will one day be fulfilled. Until then, we wait.