“And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
~Matthew 20:28b (ESV)
Belinda found the perfect gift for her little grandchildren whose father was deployed in the military in a hot zone a world away: stuffed dolls made from a photograph of their daddy. As they missed their daddy and worried for him, they could enjoy the comfort of holding his image close each night when tucked into bed – the time when worry seemed to hit them the hardest.
She wished it was that easy to quell her own fears about their daddy – her son. It seemed to her that the world just got scarier every year, and Belinda wasn’t sure if she’d really slept well at all since her son was deployed.
Belinda is right – it is a scary world, and Jesus knew it would be – hence His promise to be with us to the end of the age. Our world is fueled by fear, and it is everywhere we turn, from the news to the internet, to idle conversation.
But what age is Jesus referring to in this scripture? We live in the age of the fall of man, of a world crushed by sin, an age of all creation crying out for redemption and the return of Christ in His Kingdom (See Romans 8:22)
Knowing we would fear, knowing we would need Him, Jesus left us with promises that guide us through this age – the Bible is full of them! If you are fearful today, consider these and take comfort in them:
The Promise of the Holy Spirit: In John 14:26, Jesus talks about sending Helper, a Comforter, an Advocate who will abide in us as we await his return. His plan and His promise for this age were for us to have the Holy Spirit as His ever-abiding presence with us. We can freely bring all of our concerns to Him, and He advocates for us before the throne of God.
The Promise that the battle has been won: In John 16:33, He tells us to take heart and have hope because He has overcome the world. While we still live in the age of a fallen world, the battle has already been fought and won – the victory is most assuredly ours! He only holds off His return so that more can be saved and join us in His kingdom.
The Promise of God’s love: In Romans 8:38, we are promised that nothing can separate us from the love of God, “neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow.” (NIV). Once we are in His loving grasp, nothing will pry us away from His love and His plan for us.
The Promise of Christ’s return: Finally, He promises that He will return for us. In Luke 21:27, we read, “And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” (ESV). It will be the greatest day of rejoicing and praise for all who have longed for his return. Whether they recognized Him in this life or not, on that day all will witness His return, and every knee – every knee – will bow at His name! (Philippians 2:10)
It is a scary world for sure, but we have a loving God who has equipped us with His promises and His presence as we make our way through!