The King Is Waiting

May 16-22, 2021 – Joseph Castillo

How many of you would like to forget about COVID-19?  The year 2020 was unpleasant and even devastating for many people due to the effects of the corona virus. Now COVID has lingered into 2021 and continues to impact our daily lives negatively.

Sin has caused many things in my life that I would like to forget. Some of my words and actions have impacted people negatively.  I would like to forget that.  I would like to forget how some people have made me feel, or how they have treated my loved ones.  I would love to forget the hurt of losing someone I love.  Sin has caused so many things that I would like to forget.  Maybe there are things you would like to forget as well.

The students at the College Of The Sequoias (COS) have had a rough 2020-2021 school year.  They’ve had to adapt their learning and their graduation to COVID restrictions.  They will not have a traditional graduation ceremony.  Because of this, COS created a special event where the graduates could drive up one of the fire lanes on campus through the Quad, an outdoor park area surrounded by classrooms and offices. 

I was in my office on my computer when I started to hear the music, yelling, and cheering.  I  looked out of my window to see a train of cars driving on the fire lane towards the Quad.  There were beat-up cars, new cars, 4×4 cars, classic cars, convertible cars, and so many other different types of cars, but they all had one thing in common.  Everyone was happy, excited, and leaning out of the windows.

As I looked out of my office window, I saw one of the vice presidents for COS running, cheering, yelling, and jumping.  This grabbed my attention and I hurried outside to enjoy the celebration.  Once I got outside I saw our college President, all 6ft 6in of him, in the middle of The Quad dancing, cheering, and waving pom-poms.  As each student drove up, he met them with a gift.  Excitement permeated the air and music added to the celebration. The administrators were all outside to celebrate with their students.  It had been a hard year.  A year unlike any before it, but there was a lot to celebrate because these students had made it through despite COVID and all the challenges that came with it. 

When I saw the president out in the sun celebrating, meeting everyone, and giving out gifts, I was struck with the thought of what it would be like at Jesus’ soon return.  His word tells us that He will come with all of His angels (Matthew 25:31) and that there will be music (Matt 24:31-41). A train of people will go to heaven and receive a gift from God (Ephesians 4:8).  Jesus will give us life with Him forever!  We will have overcome this world and sin (Revelation 3:21).

Yes, I would like to forget about a lot of things, but there is a whole lot more to look forward to.