by Holly Culhane
As one who travels quite frequently, it’s not unusual to seek a ride to the airport. After all, who wants to pay costly airport parking fees if there are better options? It’s also not uncommon to hear the occasional, “I’m sorry, but I’m not available” from family and friends when asked if they can accommodate transport. After all, they have busy lives, too. That’s when Xavier comes to the rescue. He and his mostly retired friends have a business driving travelers to and from airports in the Delaware area.
It was a routine text conversation with him just a few months ago that turned into a heart-stopper for me. I had planned for Xavier or one of his team to deliver Doug, my husband, and me to PHL, the Philadelphia International Airport. The arrangements had been made weeks prior. (Planning ahead is always good, right?)
So, just a couple of days before our departure, I reached out to Xavier to ask who would be driving us to PHL. Yes, I wanted to be prepared for who would greet us but, admittedly, it was also a gentle way to confirm we were still on his schedule. (“Trust, but verify” is good, too, right?)
A day or so went by … and then, out of the blue, I received this text: “Jesus will be there at 11:30am”. For a moment, my heart stopped. Jesus will be here? And at a specific time? But… “no man knows” when He will come back again!
I jerked back into reality, laughed out loud at my response, and was reminded that Xavier most likely was referring to Jesús (heh-SOOS in Spanish), a new driver who works for him.
Then, the question haunted me: Why that reaction? Why the panic? Why exactly did my heart skip a beat when for a few milliseconds I thought “Jesus” would be here in less than 24 hours?
I first rationalized that the books I read, the Bible included, and the podcasts I listen to refer much more to Jesus than to Jesús, so my mind naturally went there first. And, after all, English is my first language, not Spanish.
But… why the hiccup in my spirit? Was it enthusiasm or a sense of peril?
I am most definitely look forward to our Lord’s return, so peril was not behind my response. Was it enthusiasm? The pause hadn’t felt like eagerness.
I had to turn to God’s Word and pray…
“So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.”
Matthew 24:42
The Holy Spirit prompted more questions: Am I “keeping watch”? Am I an under-shepherd who is on guard, sober minded about our Lord’s return, awake about that reality, and watchful? In other words, had I been fully obedient to everything God had called me to do? Was I making the most of every opportunity He had placed before me, knowing that time is short?
Although my soul is ready for His return, I felt there was much He had placed on my heart that was still on a to-do list of sorts. He gently revealed that I hesitated to take action not because time was tight, but because I had made other choices, or rather excuses. I had chosen the lie that I was not qualified or not competent or not worthy to fulfill those tasks. He showed me that I was hiding from the potential critique those steps would bring and, instead, choosing the routine, the easy, the simple.
Jesus, not Jesús, is coming back. And He’s coming back “soon”.
As His under-shepherds, we need to be ready, watchful, have our lamps full of oil – without excuse, without hesitation, without delayed obedience, without fear. We need to be ready every day with the Provision, Protection, and Presence our Lord has required of us for those we influence. We need to follow Him in every circumstance – difficult or easy, short or long, above or below what we think our pay grade is, with humility and confidence in Him.
Will you join me as I take this journey? Let’s go!
DIGGING DEEPER QUESTIONS:
- Have you ever had a moment where you felt caught off guard by the thought of Jesus returning — and what did that reaction reveal about your readiness?
- What has God placed on your heart that has quietly moved to a to-do list — and what excuse has kept it there?
- What would it look like for those you lead to see you shepherding with full lamps — fully prepared and alert — without delay, without excuse, without fear?
