Meantime. It is a tough word, with tougher implications. Merriam-Webster defines meantime as “the time before something happens or before a specified period ends.” In other words, living in the “meantime” often involves waiting for the end of some present situation, while eagerly looking forward toward some new situation. It will almost always require patience and perseverance to slough through the “meantime” to finally arrive at some future, anticipated time.

When we are considering the “meantime” between Christ’s ascension and Christ’s second coming, the challenge is as real as it gets. Like Paul, we might at times be crying out, “Who will deliver me from this body of death?” And so, like John, we will often be praying, “Come, Lord Jesus!” We will need to be constantly keeping in mind the instruction to “therefore encourage one another” with words that remind us of our duties in the present, and the sure promises of things still to come (1 Thessalonians 4:18).

How, then, do we endure this “meantime” as we await Christ’s return? While there are many passages to which we could turn for answers, let us consider at least three ways that the Scripture encourages us to “meantime” well.

Walk Before God, and Be Blameless

Abraham is pointed to throughout Scripture as an example of faith, and specifically of obeying God during periods of waiting. For example, Genesis 16:16 concludes by specifically stating that Abram was 86 years old when Hagar bore Abram’s child Ishmael. The very next verse, in Genesis 17:1, frankly, dates the next narrative as being when Abram was 99 years old—a period of 13 years: “When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless’.”

Did Abram go 13 years without even hearing from God? It certainly seems possible. Abram had to live by faith during a painful time of waiting and probably of divine silence as well.

It has often been observed that God never says, “Understand me”, but He does say, “Trust me.” God’s timing is usually not what we would want or expect, yet we must continue believing in His goodness and wisdom, and obeying His Word, even when we go through lengthy periods of seeming dryness or difficulty.

It may have been years since you felt like you really “heard” from God in the sense of His obvious blessing on your life, clear answers to big prayers, and a joyful apprehension of His presence with you. Yet God has spoken to us clearly in His Word, just as He had spoken clearly to Abram; and we must—like Abram—continue in faithfulness to God’s Word in the difficult times of waiting, lengthy though they may be.

Abram was following God despite his personal struggles throughout each day of those 13 years. But then, in Genesis 17:1, God begins His address to discouraged, doubting, disheartened Abram by pointing to Himself as the one true God.

God reminds Abram of who his God is, and that God is able to do anything! God reminds Abram: I am El Shaddai, God Almighty. “Abram, I have all power, and so it is time for you to ‘ponder anew what the Almighty can do’!” And strikingly, the next words out of God’s mouth are: “because I am God Almighty, your job is to walk before me as a blameless servant.”

On one hand, God is sympathetic to Abram’s doubts and fears, and is answering with promises and confirmation of his concern. Yet, on the other hand, doubting God is never appropriate or excusable. God is God, so the only proper response to that reality is for us (as humans—infinitely lesser and fallible) to trust His Word and obey His instructions. Faithlessness and fear (lack of trust in the Lord), no matter how understandable from our perspective, are always sinful.

So, God holds Himself up in front of Abram, not only so that Abram can be encouraged by the sight, but also so that Abram will be convicted. God does the same thing over and over again in the lives of believers in every generation. Christian, God is still God. He could change your circumstances in a moment if He wished to. Christ Himself may come back tomorrow, or He may not. Yet according to His unfailing love and superior wisdom, God is allowing the trials—and the timing of His return—in your life right now.

Your job, then, is not to understand all His reasons, but to trust His perfect plan and obey His clear instructions in the meantime. Rest in Him. Wait on Him. He is God Almighty, and there is nothing He will not do for your good and His glory in the end.

Exhort Each Other Daily

The writer of Hebrews commands Christians to “exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (3:13). I was thinking recently about cases where a person who has been a professed believer, maybe even a well-known Christian leader, falls into public sin or even apostasy, and walks away from the Christian faith. Sadly, there have been many such cases in the news lately.

We often think, and maybe even say afterward, that in hindsight there were some tendencies we could see in that person’s life that led to their eventual demise. We may hear others (or even ourselves) say things like:

• “I did notice he treated his wife very coldly, so come to think of it, adultery is not that surprising.”
• “I do recall now that they were always seeking approval from people, so I suppose its only natural that they followed that bad crowd.”
• “I did hear her constantly complaining about her circumstances, so I guess we shouldn’t be shocked that she ended up declaring that she was angry with God and deciding not to be a Christian anymore.”

But the fact is, those tendencies toward destructive sin, even apostasy, are alive in every one of us every day! There is not a human alive who does not struggle every day with some sin that, if left unchecked, will bring him or her to spiritual ruin.

This is why daily repentance, deep and meaningful accountability within the church body, and a willingness to be lovingly counseled and rebuked is so absolutely crucial to the Christian life. We must not put off until tomorrow the repentance that is needed today.

We—every one of us—have the potential to destroy our marriage, be consumed with bitterness, be blinded by self-righteousness, succumb to peer pressure, give in to hopeless depression, or to give way to sexual temptation.

As a Church, we are no less vulnerable than we are as individuals! Do you think that your local church is indestructible just because it has orthodox articles of faith, or has been blessed at times in the past, or has existed for a certain number of years? Certainly not!

What is true of us as individuals is also true of each church. Doubtless this is why the writer of Hebrews later invokes the urgency of Christ’s approaching return, exhorting believers toward “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (10:25).

It is essential as a church, just as with individuals, that we are in a state of constant self-examination, humility, confession, and spiritual pursuit of Jesus, until His return. Unity does not come naturally; usefulness does not come effortlessly; growth does not come without learning and change; and power does not come without utter submission to God’s Word.

We glibly read over the admonition to exhort each other daily, and we are barely moved by the warning that sin can deceive us—any of us—and literally bring us to ruin in a single day. Yet the reality is we are all daily in need of confession and repentance, daily in need of counsel and accountability within the body of Christ, and daily in need of long-suffering grace in order to strive together as Christians. Do not put off this vital warning until tomorrow. As the writer of Hebrews reminds us, tomorrow may just be too late.

Know Your Labor is Not in Vain

After dedicating an entire chapter to the subject of the resurrection of Christ in 1 Corinthians 15, and the resulting general resurrection of every believer in the final day, Paul concludes the chapter with this word— “Therefore”:

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Based on the abundant proofs for the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and based on the truth that Christ is the firstfruits of what all believers will experience through Him, and based on the fact that we will all be changed from perishable to imperishable—therefore, beloved, be steadfast!

Do not settle into this world, do not settle for material and temporary pursuits, but do be settled in your Christian labors! Be immovable in your convictions, immovable in your determination, immovable in your confidence in what Christ has done and so what must therefore also certainly come to pass as a result. Be always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that, in the Lord, your labor is not in vain. In fact, the opposite!

So, whether you are changing diapers and laboring to the point of exhaustion to raise your children in the nurture and instruction of the Lord; or whether you are working two jobs to fulfill your biblical obligation to provide for your family and support the work of the church; or whether you are a young person struggling to make Christ-centered decisions in the face of an uncertain future; or whether you are a sin-battered believer, seeking yet again to gain the victory over some besetting sin in your life; or whether you are feeling the call of God to sign up to risk your life in order to take the gospel to new places where Christ is not yet known; or whether, after a lifetime of service to Jesus Christ you are feeling the effects of old age and being tempted to despair as death approaches—Beloved, be steadfast.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave guarantees that everyone who believes in Him will one day also be raised from the dead—which in turn guarantees that your current labors for the Lord are not in vain. Live this day, then, in the eternal reality and significance of even this “meantime”, until Jesus Christ comes again.