How should Luke 17:22 influence our daily walk with Christ? Setting the Scene “Then He said to the disciples, ‘The days are coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.’” (Luke 17:22) Jesus speaks on the eve of the cross, looking beyond His resurrection to a time when His followers would ache for His visible presence yet have to walk by faith. He frames the entire Church age in a single sentence: a season of longing, waiting, and hopeful endurance. Key Truths Drawn from Luke 17:22 • A real separation: physical absence of Christ until His return • A real longing: hearts that yearn for “one of the days” when He walked among us • A real promise implied: the absence is temporary—His “days” will dawn again • A real test: will we persevere when we “will not see” for a time? (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:7) Daily Applications • Treasure today’s unseen fellowship. “Though you have not seen Him, you love Him” (1 Peter 1:8). • Let longing purify conduct. “Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself” (1 John 3:3). • Hold loosely to earthly comforts; tighten grip on eternal hope (Colossians 3:1-4). • Expect seasons when Christ feels distant; refuse despair—distance never equals abandonment (Matthew 28:20). • Stay alert for His return rather than chasing every rumor of it (Luke 17:23; Matthew 24:26). Practical Steps to Cultivate Longing • Start each morning in the Gospels, re-immersing in “the days of the Son of Man.” • End each day with Revelation 22:20—“Yes, I am coming soon.” • Fast periodically to remind the body it is waiting for a greater feast (Mark 2:19-20). • Sing hymns of hope (“When We All Get to Heaven,” “Even So, Come”) to relocate affections. • Serve the hurting; every act of mercy reenacts Jesus’ earthly days (Acts 10:38). Warnings and Guardrails • Guard against nostalgia that paralyzes present obedience—He calls us to mission now (John 20:21). • Refuse date-setting and sensationalism; “about that day or hour no one knows” (Matthew 24:36). • Beware cynicism when waiting feels long (2 Peter 3:3-4). God’s delay is patient mercy (2 Peter 3:9). Motivating Promises • “Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior” (Philippians 3:20). • “We await the blessed hope and glorious appearance of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). • “When Christ appears, we will be like Him” (1 John 3:2). • “The Lord Himself will descend… and so we will always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). Encouragement for Today Longing is not weakness; it is evidence of life. Each ache for “one of the days of the Son of Man” reminds us we were made for His presence. Live expectantly, labor faithfully, keep eyes lifted. The days we yearn for are on God’s calendar, and “He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23). |
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