MARANATHA

I pray that God will put a curse on everyone who doesn't love the Lord. And may the Lord come soon,  – 1Co 16:22 (CEV).

This week, we shall divert from our usual devotionals to meditate on the next most important event in the calendar of the cosmos: the 2nd coming of Christ.

The phrase “may the Lord come soon,” in our opening verse is left untranslated in the KJV as “Maranatha”. It is an Aramaic word that has several connotations and import based on how one divides the word.

It could be an injunction to the Lord, asking Him to come soon, Our Lord, Come (marana-tha); just as the Apostle John prayed in Rev. 22:20).

It could also be read as a declaration that “Our Lord has already come” (maran-atha). This is used in the evangelical sense,  declaring the first advent of Christ when He came as a man to die for our sins. It is the proclamation to the world that their expected Messiah or Christ isn’t in the future, but has already come in the past.

The 3rd understanding of Maranatha, (and seemingly most popular), is “Our Lord is coming”. This declaration is seen as both a motive for Christian service and an encouragement for believers in every age.

Regardless of the reading, one thing is certain; we have a Saviour who is intimately involved with the affairs of humanity. That is why we should not relent on the work of the Great Commission. We have a message for the world, and every man, woman, boy and girl needs to hear it: THE LORD HAS COME (to die for our sins). THE LORD IS COMING (to judge all who reject His offer of salvation).

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus Name.

GREG ELKAN