We want Jesus to return quickly because for us it means a celebration. But I encourage you – all of you – to think of His perspective for a moment.

For Jesus, every minute in the waiting “is pure torture.” He told another saint that His second coming is “infinitely more difficult” than His first. Because then He had only to take the entire curse of this fallen world, all of our sin, sickness, infirmities, diseases, and iniquities upon His own shoulders. That was difficult, but He could do it, because He thought of what it would mean to us, and He knew it was the Father’s plan.

This time, He must watch as His beloved children go through the Father’s redemptive shakings, seeing most of those who die fall into a hell that was never made for them but for the fallen angels. This time, He must watch as His beloved children receive the Father’s wrath poured out at the time only the Father knows, casting them for all eternity into that hell. Remember, every human being ever created was created in all the love of God, for the purpose of loving God back and bringing Him glory.

Can you begin to imagine a sliver of the grief Jesus endures? Every soul who slips into eternity without seeing heaven grieves Him. He cries over each one. He once died so that they wouldn’t have to go through this, but so many do anyway because they refuse to make the choice that would set them free.

On the other hand, every minute that passes without the Father calling, “Time’s up!” means more souls are won for God’s Kingdom; more souls find the narrow path to eternal salvation; more souls win the right to live with Him past the end of time; more souls are saved from never-ending torture.

So while we eagerly anticipate the wedding supper of the Lamb and wish the minutes of waiting would end, Jesus wishes the minutes of waiting – the minutes of more souls being saved from hell – would go on longer that more might be saved.

Jesus comforts and strengthens us in the waiting. Who comforts Him? He asks each of us, “Come away with Me and pray for an hour.” In the Garden, waiting for His betrayal by Judas, His disciples could not stay awake to comfort Him for an hour. (Matthew 26:36-46) It was the only time He asked them for anything for Himself. Now He asks us. Will you stay awake? Will you pray at His side? Will you comfort Him in His unfathomable grief? Will you share that burden, just the tiniest sliver of His grief at the billions of souls about to enter hell? Will you share His grief for one hour? Just one hour; that’s all He asks.

And in the rest of the minutes remaining, perhaps you can help Him in another way. Tell someone He loves the Truth. Tell them about the only Way to salvation. Tell them heaven and hell are real, and they have been given the amazing gift to be able to choose which one they will go to for eternity – forever with God and with all of His goodness and good things, or forever without Him and without any good thing. But the time left to choose is running out. Compared to history – even compared to the last hundred years – to the last fifty years! – there are few minutes left. Tell them. Tell them as if their life depends on it!

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