And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

Hebrews 9:27-28

Have you ever missed an important appointment? A few weeks ago I received a message from one of my healthcare professionals reminding me of the fact I missed an appointment the day before. He was gracious, but I simply forgot to reschedule because I was out of town.

A missed appointment like that is one thing, but the writer of Hebrews reminds us that there is one appointment we each will certainly keep because there is a day when each of us will die and then face the judgment of God.

The good news follows. Christ paid the price for our sins and so salvation will be fully realized for those “who are eagerly waiting for him.”

I think about some of my friends and acquaintances who are facing some challenging times. In addition to some facing a cancer diagnosis, another’s son was hit by a car last week and is now in a drug-induced coma. You probably know some people who are facing different circumstances.

I don’t think any of us have a death wish, but then again, death isn’t something we should fear if our faith is in Christ. Instead, let’s be reminded that we should be always “eagerly waiting” for His return.