"Out There"

Out there we face the demons,

Who wanted to come in,

But Jesus was the victor,

And in His name we win.

Out there we’re persecuted,

They hate us for His sake,

And but for grace protecting,

They would all our lives take.

Out there we are rejected,

By many who should love,

And have to give forgiveness,

When push comes down to shove.

Out there we find the harvest,

It’s ripe with workers few,

We show and share the Gospel,

‘Cause we’re commissioned to.

In here we love each other,

And that is how folks know,

That we belong to Jesus,

It’s just the way we show.

In here we bear the burdens,

And shoulder each one’s load,

We try to give encouragement,

And nurture seeds we’ve sown.

In here we stand together,

Agreement as we pray,

A-binding and a-loosing,

We do it everyday.

In here we are a family,

The greatest, one who serves,

We learn to stick together,

Straightene life’s sharp curves.

Up there “out there” changes,

And “in here” changes, too,

All will confess Jesus,

And bow the knee, it’s true.

Up there our mission’s over,

And all the nations hear,

And that’s when Jesus comes again,

The time is drawing near.

Up there no more crying,

All tears are wiped away,

All sorrow, pain and suffering,

And God above will say,

Up there, my blessed children,

Your life on earth now ends,

Millions are rejoicing,

Up there it all begins.

“Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when He returns, we can live with Him forever…” (1 Thessalonians 5:10, NLT)

Dead or alive, ready or not, Jesus is coming. But the point of His return is not so much in trying to predict when it will happen, as it is encouraging each other that it will happen. Knowing that it will happen should help us refocus on the eternal rather than the temporal. It should help us to throw off temptation, fight the spiritual battle, and live with heavenly priorities. it should cause us to live thankfully, knowing we will not be judged with the rest of the world but have an opportunity to do something worthwhile and of eternal significance. Don’t sell yourself out cheap. Remember whose you are and where you are going.

Lord, help us keep our focus on the eternal, rather than the temporary, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Steve Devenyns, stevedevenyns.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Steve, and God bless you.