Already but Not Yet

Our granddaughter was promised a pet hamster but had to wait until the hamster cage was delivered. It’s arrival, however, was delayed for two months, apparently a casualty of disruptions in global supply chains caused by the pandemic. The waiting was excruciating! A five-year old has little understanding of pandemics and no grasp at all of global shipping. “Is it here yet?”, was asked many times every day.

In a larger sense, that’s exactly the situation the Apostle John has in mind. “We are already children of God”, he tells us. It’s a present reality that is a tremendous blessing, a source of frequent thanksgiving, and at times considerable comfort.

But we are not yet what we will be. We still wrestle, at times really struggle. We still grapple with questions of faith and trust. We still get sick. We still suffer. We die. There are questions that we simply cannot answer and will not be able to answer until much later.

So, what is certain? “We know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” What does a five-year old know about global supply chains? Almost nothing. What do we know about the transformation in store for us at Christ’s return? Almost nothing. But we do know it’s coming. That’s our hope, and we work to purify ourselves for his arrival.

The hamster gear arrived last week. Joy is everywhere in our home along with rapidly spreading hamster bedding. There is even greater joy ahead. I want to be ready!

I find it difficult, Lord, to be already in your family but not yet what we’ll be one day. At times my faith is clear and strong. At other times, to be honest, things are confusing. I trust you for the journey. Have patience with me. I’m not there yet, but I want to see Jesus face to face.

Throughout This Day: Rejoice in this amazing promise — one day, we will be like Jesus, because we will see him as he is!