As Advent believers, we are looking forward to a glorious future. We cannot be living in the past - by our central, core belief we need to be pressing onward to the second coming of Christ in the clouds of glory. The concept of “advent” refers to that coming - a distinctly future event that is ever drawing closer and closer.

Young people plan for their future career. Middle-aged persons dream of future retirement. The elderly look forward to their afternoon’s naptime. Yet among us all living in the Laodicean era and prone to its natural lukewarmness, how much of our actual time, money, and energy is invested in the most real, rewarding future available to mortal beings - the prospect of eternity with Jesus Christ?

“Movement” implies motion. As a movement of reformation, we need to be actively going forward by faith. There can be no stagnant wheels to hinder the machinery. There is much for all to do to hasten the Lord’s coming in terms of personal preparation, serving humanity, and leading others to the kingdom.

“When the professed followers of Christ have an indwelling Saviour they will be found doing as Christ did. They will have no opportunity to rust through inaction. They will have enough to do. And the work which they do under the auspices of the church will be their greatest means of communicating light. The man who is working according to God’s plan will pray, ‘Let it be known this day in my work for suffering humanity that there is a God in Israel, and that I am Thy servant. Let it be seen that I am working not according to my own impulse and wisdom, but according to Thy Word.’ When man places himself in this attitude and realizes that he is working out God’s plan, and that God is working out His plan through him, he is in possession of divine power, which knows nothing of defeat.”1

In this issue of The Reformation Herald, we will be considering practical preparation for our Lord’s return. An active prayer life connects us to the tap of living water that need not ever run dry.

“Wonderful is the work which the Lord designs to accomplish through His church, that His name may be glorified. A picture of this work is given in Ezekiel’s vision of the river of healing.”2

The prophet Ezekiel was shown in vision the powerful flow of the Holy Spirit working through human agencies. “[Ezekiel 47:1-12 quoted.] This presentation is an illustration of the way in which the truth for this time is to go. A large work is to be done by many who have commenced in a small way. Many souls will be reached, not through display, not through any devising on the part of man, but because of the working of the Holy Spirit on the hearts of the human agencies. The Saviour worked in this way. When His methods become the methods of His followers, His blessing will attend their labors.”3

Let us contemplate Ezekiel 47 and beseech the Lord to give us the heavenly eyesalve. As we consider the future that God has in store for His faithful children even here on earth, we know that it will not be glamorous but rather glorious. Remember, the meek who will put self out of sight that the Holy Spirit may shine through these earthen vessels may not necessarily prosper as the world does, yet ultimately they will inherit the earth.