We ought patiently endure this present age with great faith, confidently working and praying for God’s will in everything, always looking with hope for the return of Christ and the establishment of his kingdom.

We must be mature in our praying, not continuing to pray for just anything, but knowing that the call to persevere in prayer is qualified throughout the Bible by a number of wise and godly factors.

God’s pending judgment is the sobering aspect of Christ’s return that should make us grateful for its gracious delay, motivated by the current opportunity for evangelism, and thankful for our forthcoming salvation.

It is normal and expected that we intensely long for Christ’s coming kingdom as we seek to undistractedly obey the teachings of Christ in a deteriorating and rebellious culture.

Though the arrival of Christ’s visible kingdom is yet future, his kingly reign has begun over his people now, and so we must endure the present age with anticipation, devotion, and an evangelistic drive.

We must identify and thank God for his many acts of mercy toward us, remembering that these are small foretastes of the ultimate mercy of the eradication of our debt of sin by his cross.

We must be continually mindful of the unique and exceeding authority of the Triune God we were created and redeemed to humbly serve.

We will become more ambitious and more optimistic in our prayers and service for Christ as we learn to wholeheartedly trust him to accomplish through us the things that he has commanded.