"Maranatha - The Lori cometh! “Maranatha” (meaning, The Lord cometh) was a word of greeting in the early Church. When believers met or parted they said,Maranatha! Tt was a constant reminder and an expression of faith in'the wond- erful promise of Jesus - "I will come egain and receive you unto Myself" (John 14.1-3). he Second Coming of Christ is referred to over 300 times in the New Testanent, and is one of the most glorious and thrilling truths in the Bible. "Naranetha’ is an expression of hope! "Looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Ghriet (Titus 2.1-3) the return of our Lord is the blessed hope of the Church! But a large portion of the Church has, for all pract: Seal purposes, lost its hope. This truth has become little more than a fossilised doctrine - hence the Church has lost its vision, purpose, aim and goal. With hope and motivation gone, it plods Blong, fulfilling routine duties and procedures - lustreless and Gull! Waat a tragedy! And the Church with such e future! and at ‘this time when the climax of God's eternal plan is about to find fulfilment! Now - when the end toward which God has been working ‘through the ages is in sight! Tremendous things are in the offing! Tremendous events are at hand! The age is closing, Christ the King of Glory is about to remove His Church fron the earth, before the awful judgments of God are poured owt upon a wicked, God-rejecting world!’ Anew order is in sight! The Kingdom of God is about to be set up, a universal peace ushered in! Oh, What stupendous happ- enings are at hand. what apocalyptic events are about the shake the Heavens and the earta! Man's cup of iniquity is repidly fi11- ing. dod's seven vials of wrata are to be poured out (Rev 16.1) Whaat a time of judgment! But on the other hand, what glories for ‘those who have put their trust in Jesus! The glories are inexpress- ible, unutterable! Words fail! ‘and yet - millions of God's blood—bought children are ignorant of it ali! The Church's voice is muted! The Lora aptly deserites the condition in Matt 25.1-13. "They all slunberea and slept, and at midnight there was a cry made, ‘Behold the Bridegroom cometh". Paul wams, "Let US not sleep, as do others, but let us watch.." The use of the word, "Maranatha" is also an expression of love ~ love for Jesus. If we love the Lord, we will of necessity love the truth of Hie coning. Surely the Bride longs for the coming of her Bridegroom. Paul writing to Mmothy says, "Henceforth, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the right- cous Judge shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all then also that love Bis appearing". There is a special crown for those wao look with yearning hearts for His return (Heb 9.26). 0a, waat joy is in that word, Maranatha. "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say REJOICB!...the Lord is at hand!" (Phil 4.4-5) What a'day it will be vhen we shall seo Hin! And we will have the joy ofbeing like Hin! (1 Jan 3.1-3) No more failures, no more dis~ appointmonte! Never to suffer again! Bach will receive his rewards at the Jadgnent Seat of Christ. Every service rendered out of love to the Saviour, will be renembered, no matter how small or insignif- icant. All is reconied in the Book’ of Heaven. Christians, Let us use that word, "Maranatha", as an expression of our concer for others. By it we are reminded of the imminent retum of our precious Loni, and the importance of being ready to meet Him. It is an admonition to work and pray to win souls, and to live for eternity. To the unsaved it is a message of waraing. None of us would want to see our loved ones left behind when Jesus cones, would we? Then, let this word, "Maranatha", be bummed into our hearts and minds, and let us use it to the glory of God and the salvation of souls.’ Maranatha! The Lord Cometh! Hallelujah!