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Hasten His Coming
Matthew 24:14 “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
We worship with our tithe and offerings because we wait eagerly to see our God face to face. The Scripture associates the Second Coming with the proclamation of the gospel to the whole world (Matt. 24:14). He desires all to come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9). Our involvement in doing and supporting God’s mission makes it possible for others to hear and receive the good news.
Peter describes the waiting experience as an active one: “as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.” Ellen G. White clarifies Peter’s words: “By giving the gospel to the world it is in our power to hasten our Lord's return. We are not only to look for but to hasten the coming of the day of God” (The Desire of Ages, 633, 634). It appears that God has given us the possibility to hasten His coming.
The example of a sled helps us to understand the meaning of hastening His return. If you put a sled at the top of a hill and allow it to glide, it will reach the bottom after some time. This is the natural course due to gravity and normal force. However, kids who like playing in the snow know that you can speed up your sled as it goes downhill. Among other tricks, you can spray cooking oil at the bottom of the sled, pack down the snow on the track, stay low on the sled, or balance your weight on the sled. As a result, you go faster, and it is more fun. In the same way, the reality of His Second Coming is unalterable; it will take place, but it can happen earlier if we associate with Him to reach out to others.
Are we going to forsake this opportunity to speed up his coming? This week, as we worship with our tithe and regular offerings we can reveal how hard we wish for the Second Coming.
—North American Division Stewardship Ministries
