will come down from heaven

The Lord himself . . .will come down from heaven

A family had the car packed for vacation, and everyone eagerly piled in.   But you can imagine what happened after they had gone just a little way: a young voice from the backseat called out, “Are we there yet?”   That was the cue for all of the children to pepper their dad with questions.   It was noisy for a while, but they eventually settled down because they trusted that Dad knew where they were going and how to get there.   Their father was with them, and everything was going to be okay.

Paul reminds the Thessalonians that He had known them from the early days of their conversion and had watched them grow in their faith.   That’s why, when they started to worry about the exact date and time of the Lord’s return, Paul reminded them that God was trustworthy.   Their heavenly Father was with them, and he would stay with them for the entire journey, right up to the Second Coming.   Like the father in the car, he knew where they were going and how to get there.

The Lord is with you too.   He knows where you are right now and where he plans to take you.   How can you be so confident?   Look back on the landmarks you’ve already passed: moments of discovery, challenge, and hope.   Remember that time you thought of a simple act that would make your home more peaceful?   Maybe it was smiling at your spouse when they walked in the door or asking forgiveness before you went to bed.   Or the time you suddenly understood how to help your child through a difficult patch at school.   All that was your heavenly Father steering you, taking you where you needed to go.

Even today, he is there to reassure and guide you.   Ask him as many questions about the trip as you need to.   He doesn’t mind.    Remember the landmarks you’ve already passed.   He wants you to trust in his driving.   He wants to help you settle down and enjoy the trip.

Are you there yet?  No, but you’re on your way!

And God is at the steering wheel.

word among us