What a hope we have in Jesus Christ our Lord! Not only do we have all things in Him, but more than that, He is also our eternal portion! Yes, we will always be with the Lord, and “we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 Jn. 3:2)! And as we await that most wonderful moment when we finally will hear His well-known voice calling us unto Him, what a joy it is to know that in Him we also have access to all the resources of grace to meet all our needs, especially when facing tribulations and difficult times.

Hence, we can be patient in tribulation. Despite the difficult times in which we are living, we know what is next on God’s agenda. First, our Lord Jesus will come Himself to fetch us into His presence. Then, there will be seven years of tribulation. We are not afraid and uncertain as we see all that is happening in this world. Things are simply moving swiftly into place, right in line with biblical prophecies that will soon become history. Then, it will be the glorious visible and public manifestation of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ to introduce His thousand-year reign of righteousness on earth.

Meanwhile, we have a very important resource in which we must continue steadfastly: prayer. The darker and colder the night, the higher we risk becoming drowsy. This is what happened to the disciples at Gethsemane. The Lord came only to find them sleeping. He said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mt. 26:40–41). This is why, in order to go on faithfully and victoriously until we hear the assembling shout, we must “continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving” (Col. 4:2).

Let us look up, rejoicing in hope, and continuing steadfastly in prayer, for the Lord is coming with His reward with Him!