“I’m glad we took that trip to the Redwoods.” As my son-in-law looked around the table, we all nodded in agreement. Christmas this year was the first time our entire family had gathered together since that vacation, which ended just days before COVID shut down the world in March 2020.

Our celebration felt more festive and heartwarming than ever before. Still, I knew our time would be cut short. Soon we would need to take family members to the airport so they could return to their homes.

I’ve never liked saying good-bye. I long for all of my loved ones to be together in one place so we never have to say those words. But this is not my current reality. So I have adopted the French phrase, au revoir. Although translated as good-bye, it literally means until we see each other again.

Focusing on the next time we will be together softens the good-bye because I immediately start planning the next gathering. And then I begin counting the days. It’s my way of making the separation more palpable.

The frustration I feel when I’m in between family gatherings reminds me of the spiritual tension which is described as already, but not yet. Our current physical reality does not yet match up to what it will be when Christ returns. 

For example, as Christians we are already part of His Kingdom, but its full glory is not yet known. In describing the Kingdom Jesus said, “‘The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst’” (Luke 17:20-21 NIV). 

When Jesus came to earth, He established His Kingdom. But He made it clear His Kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). The book of Hebrews describes it this way, “‘You made him [Jesus] for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.’ Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him” (Hebrews 2:8-9 ESV).

God has already put everything in subjection to Jesus. But in our present physical reality we do not yet see everything subjected to Him. Because of Jesus, we have a taste of His Kingdom, but we will not experience it fully until He returns. Until then, we wait in the in between. 

Unlike my reunions with my family, I can’t pinpoint when the second coming of Jesus will happen (Matthew 24:36). So I can’t count the days in between. But I can make those days count.

After stating we can’t know when He will return, Jesus told this parable:

“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 24:45-51 NIV)

I get the impression the trustworthy servant faithfully carried out his master’s wishes on a daily basis. He didn’t need to fear or wonder when the master would return, because he remained ready to receive him.

The other servant, however, took advantage of the master’s absence. Each day he took the chance the master wouldn’t come, and spent the time pursuing his own self-interests and mistreating the other servants. The master’s return caught him unprepared, and he suffered the consequences for it.  

To make each day count in this in between time, I need to be faithful in how I live my life. Carrying out Jesus’ wishes can be summed up in the two greatest commandments: to love God, and to love my neighbor (Matthew 22:36-40). 

Wherever the road leads me next, I pray my life will honor the One who leads me.  As you continue your journey, I pray you can do the same.