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MARANA
THA!
By Scott Lundy
Imagine
that you are living in first-century A.D. Palestine and are a
follower of “The Way” (i.e. a follower of Christ).
As you are strolling down to Council Valley Kosher Market or
Ronnie’s Bagel Bin you happen across some other Believers on
the sidewalk. How do you greet them? You might talk
about the weather or ask after one another’s children or
grandchildren, but you would probably begin or end the
conversation with “marana tha.”
“Why
would I speak those words to my friends?” you say. I’m
glad you asked! “Marana tha” was the Aramaic
phrase that meant: “Our Lord, come!” or “Our
Lord is coming!” Aramaic - closely related to Hebrew -
was the street language of the day in the Middle East, and this
greeting was the common way for Christians to greet and encourage
each other.
Marana
tha was either a request to the Lord Jesus to come soon, or an
encouraging reminder to Believers that He is coming back soon.
I think it was meant to be both, because both form a beautiful
picture. The first is an intimate request of our Master to
come back for us as soon as possible. This focuses us on the
reality that this world is not our home, and that Someone better
awaits us. The second usage allows us to remind one another
(and perhaps ourselves) that what we see is NOT what we get; Jesus
is coming back to set all things right and bring His children home
where they belong.
Do
we greet one another with this lovely reality? I have a
little secret to share with you: I think that sometimes I
don’t really want Jesus to come back just yet. My lips
may say that the greatest event in all of history would be getting
to be with my Lord and Savior, but deep in my heart - and
sometimes even my prayers - I want the Lord to tarry a little
while longer because I have some things that I still want to get
done.
You
know: Some things that I still want my sons to be able to do; some
family members that I want to see repent and trust in Christ; an
“important” project that I want to get finished
first. Notice that all of these focus on what I want; what I
think; what I feel. That’s the wrong approach.
The fact is that Jesus could return at any time - Matthew 24:36-51
- and I had better be ready when He does (Our Lord is coming! -
Marana tha!). The fact is that MY plans are greatly inferior
to HIS plans, and I need to be excited about the fact that I’m
running on God’s timetable and that my plans aren’t
truly very important after all (Our Lord, come! - Marana tha!).
“’Behold,
I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the
prophecy in this book’...’Behold, I am coming soon!
My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to
what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First
and the Last, the Beginning and the End’...He who testifies
to these things [Jesus] says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:7,
12-13, 20)
Are
we too wrapped-up in our earthly lives to be able to
enthusiastically ask the Lord Jesus to come back now? Are we
too blinded by our pain and struggles to see the reality of
Christ’s soon return? Perhaps we need a good solid
dose of “marana tha” to pull us back to the Truth.
Maybe we need to consciously - and regularly - remind ourselves
that He is coming back, and that He is coming back for us!
It
wouldn’t even hurt if we focused on encouraging other
Believers with these words: “He’s coming back!”
Because He is, you know. Until then: Marana tha!
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