Long for His Return
10 Practical Ways to Show Your Love for Jesus — Devotion 10 of 10
2 Timothy 4:8 — “Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.”
Opening Reflection
Near the end of his life, Paul describes a crown reserved not simply for the faithful in general, but specifically for "all who have loved his appearing." This is a striking way to put it. Genuine love for Jesus, it turns out, does not stay content merely hearing about Him or serving Him from a distance forever. It longs to see Him.
This final way of loving Jesus reorients everything that has come before it in this series. Time with Him, treasuring His Word, obedience, prayer, trust, love for others, service, witness, honoring Him in daily life - all of it points toward, and finds its completion in, finally seeing Him face to face.
Taking a Devotional View
It is possible to affirm the idea of Christ's return while feeling almost nothing about it - a doctrine acknowledged rather than a hope treasured. A heart absorbed with present comforts can grow quietly lukewarm toward this promise, even while everything else about that heart's faith looks healthy. A heart genuinely in love with Jesus, by contrast, treasures this hope and returns to it often.
This longing is never meant as escapism from present responsibility. Scripture's last recorded prayer captures the tone exactly: "Come, Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20) - a cry of love, not resignation. Rightly held, longing for His return does not pull believers away from faithful living now; it fuels it, giving weight and direction to every other way of loving Him in the meantime.
Key Thoughts & Takeaways
Key Thoughts
- Paul reserves the crown of righteousness for "all who have loved his appearing" - longing for Christ's return is itself evidence of love for Him (2 Timothy 4:8).
- A heart absorbed with present comforts can grow lukewarm toward the hope of Christ's return.
- Longing for His return isn't escapism - it fuels faithful living now.
- Every other way of loving Jesus finds its completion in finally seeing Him face to face.
Ask Yourself
- Do I genuinely long for Christ's return, or rarely think about it?
- What present comforts might be dulling my hope for His appearing?
- How does longing for His return change the way I live today?
- Which of these ten ways of loving Jesus do I most want to grow in as I wait for Him?
Lord Jesus, stir in me a genuine longing for Your return. Forgive me for how easily I settle into present comforts and forget to watch for You. Let every way I have sought to love You in this life find its completion in the day I finally see You face to face. Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.