... I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

John 14:3

Jesus promised that when his followers gather in his name, even just two or three of them, he is present with them (Matthew 18:20). When we come together to worship our risen Lord, we can be sure that he is there.

The Lord is present in community, but his presence is also very personal. We hear the personal promise of his presence as Jesus hung dying on the cross. He told the repentant thief: “Today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). “You will be with me.” That promise is for each one of us too, a promise that lasts into eternity. When Jesus comes again, he will take us to himself because where he is, that is where he wants us to be — forever!

Carol Geisler
Orange, CA

Lord Jesus, I look forward in hope to your return. Amen.

Reflect: Add the words “Come, Lord Jesus,” to your Advent prayers.

Read: John 14:1-6 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18