LOOKING FOR THAT BLESSED HOPE

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

APRIL 25

 

Titus 2:13

Looking for that blessed hope, 

and the glorious appearing of the great God

 and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

 
The posture of the Christian should be that of expectation.
 
His best things are before him.
 
The promises refer to the glory which is to be revealed.
 
The Old Testament saints lived expecting Jesus to come; 

   he came, 

   he wrought, 

   he suffered, 

   he made atonement, 

   he prepared to depart, 

   he promised to come again in glory, 

   he went into the holiest, 

   he is now making intercession, 

   he will soon come out to impart the blessing.
 
Then, the dead in Christ will rise, 

   the living saints will be changed, 

        the adoption will be obtained, 

we shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and 

so shall we ever be with the Lord.
 
This is the object of our hope. In expectation of this glory we should love.
 
Looking for this blessed hop we should labour.
 
Death is nowhere represented as the object of our hope; 

  we are not to live looking for death, but for the coming of Jesus.
 
Thus Enoch lived, walked with God and so pleased him that he was translated.
 
Thus the apostles and primitive Christians lived, and 

   therefore they were not so much affected as we are with present things.
 
 

Fill’d with the blessedness of hope,

And love which casts our fear,

Divinely taught my soul looks up,

To see my Lord appear;

Jesus, the one great God supreme,

My Saviour shall come down,

And find me gazing after him,

And with his glory crown.

 
 
James Smith