There is nothing quite like a homecoming ceremony.

It doesn’t even have to be my own husband returning to make joy leak from my eyes and smear my mascara.

After months spent separated, two people in love are finally face-to-face again. It no longer matters how many changes there were to the ceremony date, time, or location. The weeks spent waiting melt away as they enter into that first embrace. The knots in the pits of their stomachs slowly unclench as fears are erased.

All the cleaning and planning and preparing for our soldier’s return is all at once worth every minute and penny spent. It is the moment we have yearned for every sleepless night.

In fact, looking forward to that first glimpse of my soldier standing tall among the ranks in the formation is often what gets me through some of the hardest moments of a deployment. Considering the closeness we will once again share when he returns helps me to cope with many challenges in his absence.

In much the same way, anticipating Jesus’ triumphant return has the power to sustain us through tough times.

While we enjoy the spiritual presence of God in our lives now, we also look forward to eternal fellowship with Him at His physical reappearance.

Christ’s triumphant return will outshine even the most phenomenal military homecoming ceremony.

No one but our Father in Heaven knows the exact time of Christ’s return (Mark 13:32). So we must always be prepared. We watch and pray confidently that by Christ’s sacrifice we will be counted worthy to stand before the Son of Man (Luke 21:34-36).

Any time spent waiting for Him will pale in comparison to the length of time we will spend worshipping our Creator in His eternal Kingdom. As we sing in Amazing Grace:

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,

Bright shining as the sun,

We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise

Than when we’d first begun.

When we finally see Jesus returning on the clouds (Revelation 1:7) every fear and doubt we ever had will be erased. All our hopes will finally be realized. Our faith will be sight. Every knee will bow and every tongue confess (Romans 14:11). Every persecution, sacrifice, loss, or act of service we endured by faith for Him during our earthly lives will finally find their eternal reward at His return. (Matthew 5:11-12)

Just as the days drag during deployment, it may seem as though God is slow in fulfilling His promise of returning to put an end to the pain and suffering in this life. But He is not. His timing is perfect. Every second until then is an opportunity to share the hope we have with others (2 Peter 3:8-9) so that they may share our joy when the time comes.

Christ’s return to claim His bride the church is the moment we’ve been waiting for all our lives.

Are you prepared for His homecoming? How might anticipating that moment strengthen your faith today?

Dear Father, I thank you for the promise of being reunited with Your Son at His final Homecoming. By Your Spirit help me to watch and pray so that temporal concerns do not lead me to stray from my Bridegroom. Show me opportunities to share Your Gospel with others while I wait for You to return. Strengthen my faith as I focus on the fulfillment of your promises. Amen.

Liz Giertz is a Veteran turned Army wife and mom to two boisterous boys who and one shelter dog who provide endless writing material. Until the next set of orders arrive, they call FT Hood, Texas home. She is passionate about encouraging women to overcome MESSES, embrace MEMORIES, and become the MASTERPIECES God created them to be. You can connect with her on her blog, My Messy Desk, as well as on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Original image photo used with permission by Kim Paine.