Luke 21:28 But when these things begin to happen, lift up your heads, because your salvation is drawing near.
Every day that we live is another day closer to the return of Christ. In Luke 21 Jesus lays out a list of signs that signal the season of His return. On the surface these signs look troubling. In fact, Jesus says that people will “faint from fear and from the expectation of what is coming on the world.” Yet, the final statement directed as encouragement to His followers is the beauty of this text:
“And there will be signs in the sun, moon and stars, and on the earth, nations will be in distress, anxious over the roaring of the sea and the surging waves. People will be fainting from fear and from the expectation of what is coming on the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man arriving in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these things begin to happen, lift up your heads, because your salvation is drawing near.” (Luke 21:25-28)
Heroic stories often have a classic battle scene in which the main character is nearly defeated. He lies on the ground, exhausted, expecting the final blow of defeat. Then, from an unseen source, vitality fills his mind and body. The tables turn, and our hero overcomes the villain. While this may rarely happen in the true, physical realm, it can be reality in our emotions, our souls and our spirits. Consider what Jesus said: when things look bad, when others are overwhelmed and terrified – lift up your head! Even now, don’t let your inner demeanor be cast down: lift up your head. Stop focusing on the difficult, the confusing, and the overwhelming – lift up your head and focus on Him. We can expect strength, peace, and salvation … but it will only come from Him!