“Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Titus 2:13
Look around the next time you’re in the checkout line at the grocery store. Take note of how many people are on their phones while they’re waiting to checkout too.
People don’t like to wait, and it shows. In our digital world, you only have to reach for your phone if you’re bored. To be honest, I’m also one of those shoppers who pulls my phone out of my purse and starts scrolling when I’m in the grocery line.
If you read Titus 2:13 by itself, it sounds like Paul wanted Titus to stare at the sky and wait for the “glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” But verses 11-12 say, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.”
It’s clear after reading these verses that Paul didn’t want Titus to just twiddle his thumbs while he waited for Jesus Christ’s second coming to Earth. He wanted Titus to be busy. But busy doing what?
Christians are called to “live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives” while we wait for our Savior’s return. We do that by God’s grace, as Paul wrote to Titus. We don’t do it to earn God’s favor. We live our lives like this in response to the favor God’s already shown us. Paul called this our “spiritual worship” in Romans 12:1.
I don’t suggest always busying yourself by reaching for your phone while you’re waiting in lines. But busying yourself with spiritual worship while you wait on Christ’s return for His Church? That’s time never wasted.
PRAYER:
God, I am busy a lot. Sometimes, I could be a better steward of my time, especially when I’m waiting. Help me be busy with the right things while I anticipate your return to Earth. Give me grace to live a self-controlled, upright, and godly life no matter what I’m doing. Thank you for your grace, and help me to pursue these virtues not as a means of salvation, but as an act of worship.