Journey With Jesus: 31 Days Devotion From the Gospel of MarkSample

Return of the King

J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings is one of the highest-grossing, most critically acclaimed trilogies in Hollywood history. In Tolkien’s fantastic universe of humans, hobbits, elves, wizards, dwarves, and monsters, a great evil threatens to cover the world in darkness and make every living being its slave. Chaos is the order of the day. Fear rules the hearts of most. Hope is faint.

Yet amid the darkness, there are flickers of light in the love, unity, and courage of a few heroic characters. One of them is Aragon, who is destined to be king. The trilogy ends with his long-awaited return to the throne and the triumphant deliverance of his people.

In the real world today, we are also waiting for the return of King Jesus.

Mark 11:1-11 tells of Jesus entering Jerusalem to the cheers of the crowd. His arrival on a donkey fulfilled a 500-year-old prophecy about the King of Jerusalem (Zechariah 9:9). This was a big deal for the Israelites, who had been looking forward to a King to save them from foreign oppression and restore Israel’s former glory. After years of waiting and suffering under oppression, the Israelites were finally able to declare the arrival of their King, openly singing songs of praise and glory unto Him. What a celebration it was!

One day, Jesus will return to earth in all His glory (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). He will save and reward those who are faithful to Him (Revelation 22:12) and reject those who disobey the Gospel (1 Peter 4:17-18).

This is a comforting truth for believers of all ages and all over the world. Today, many Christians are persecuted for the sake of Christ and the Gospel. Persecution can come in the form of physical torture/death, economic pressure, or social marginalisation. According to Christianity Today, a Christian online magazine, more than 200 million Christians face high to extreme persecution. In secular nations, and even in nations that call themselves “Christian,” our values and way of life may receive rejection and ridicule.

If you are suffering for your faith today, you’re not alone. Take heart that many believers are going through it too. Hold onto Jesus, knowing that your suffering has a purpose. We who trust Jesus will enjoy eternal life with Him when He returns with victory and salvation!