“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”
Titus 2:11–14

The grace of God not only brings salvation into the lives of those to whom it appears, and not only does that same grace transform our lives, but it also focuses our attention on the future. It teaches us to be “looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Paul had two things in mind. First, he reminds us that the hope of every believer is the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His own. He outlines what this looks like in 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18:

“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

This event is commonly called the rapture, which means to be quickly caught away. It is when Christ comes for His own, just as He promised in John 14:1–3:

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

The Lord Jesus first came into this world in order to provide salvation for us and to prepare the way for us to live for God the Father—and to one day be with Him for all eternity.

The rapture will be the day when faith gives way to sight, and the hope we have becomes a visible reality!

Anchor For Today:
Perhaps today the Lord will come to take us to Himself.