I can understand being hesitant to pray for Jesus’ return, because we know what calamity it means for mankind and this world. What does the Bible say to do, however?
2 Peter 3 says:
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.
11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
14 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, 15 and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation;
It seems from this, that we should be looking for the Day of the Lord, and hastening its coming! It doesn’t say exactly what we should do to hasten the coming of the day, but at least we can glean from this that it’s OK to try and hurry its arrival.
Luke 21:36 says:
“Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
There aren’t too many specific things we’re told to pray for. Praying that we’re worthy to escape all the things that will come to pass is one of them. Praying that the Kingdom will come is another. Both of these say to me that we’re to look for the Kingdom (the 1000 years after the 7 year tribulation) and we’re to hope and pray we can escape the terrible things that will happen during the 7 years. (Another thing we’re told to pray for is to send workers to the harvest...maybe that is associated with hastening the coming of the day. I don’t know, that’s just a guess.)
Revelation 22 says:
17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.
20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
To me, it looks like it’s OK to say Come Lord Jesus.
There are many things saying that we should be focused on the next life more than this one.
Philippians 3:
20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
2 Corinthians 5:
For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
Colossians 3:
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
I was hesitant to pray for the coming of Christ, but after thinking it over a while, I don’t want the evil going on in this world to continue indefinitely. So until the day that God decides to put an end to the evil going on, I will try and keep doing this:
Mark 16:15:
And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.”
One last thing as food for thought:
Psalm 98
7 Let the sea resound, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.
8 Let the rivers clap their hands,
let the mountains sing together for joy;
9 let them sing before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples with equity.
If we truly believe that His judgments are righteous and equitable, then we can trust in Him and pray for His coming.
Maranatha
