any day now.

We're just a few days away from Labor Day. Both the federal holiday and the day I (hopefully) go into labor. We're four days shy of the actually due date (and if you go by our first ultrasound, the more "accurate" due date could be tomorrow).

This is definitely exciting and scary all at the same time! It's intimidating, to say the least, to think of being responsible for the survival of a tiny human in the next few days (or hours...or weeks...). To have a person that totally dependent on you. To feel like I have so little idea of what I'm doing. 

It also been a difficult final (well, I hope it's the final) week or so. Over the last week, I've started to experience what I'm fairly sure is something called "prodromal labor" (thank you, Google). Basically, it's somewhere between Braxton Hicks contractions (which are usually not painful) and the real deal, and it could last hours, days, or weeks (yes, weeks). "Prodromal" comes from a Greek word meaning "precursor," and it essentially involves uncomfortable-to-downright-painful contractions (see, I'm having on right now...) that usually occur at night and can even be time-able. However, they don't build in intensity and eventually fizzle out (only to start again a few hours later/later that night). They can sometimes be indicative that they baby is not in the best position and is trying to get there, and mine have come with almost constant back pain. I slept better last night and this morning I felt fine, but this on-again-off-again "practice labor" is uncomfortable to say the least, and at this point it's starting to wear me down. I've read a couple of places that women who experience this often have shorter labors since their bodies have done all that prep work, so I'm really hoping that that's the case at least!

In the midst of the excitement ("Our baby is almost here!!") and the fear ("Oh my gosh, our baby is almost here...") and the pain ("How long is it going to take for our baby to actually get here??) I've been thinking a lot of how this season of anticipation reminds me of how I'm longing for Christ's return (and makes me long for it even more). 

Not to be all "doom and gloom," but I truly believe we are living in the last days (though how many last days there are left, no one knows). Jesus's words in Matthew 24 paint a pretty clear picture:

3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Sound familiar? Does this seem like life as we know it to anyone else these days? Wars (and rumors of wars). Division. Nation rising against nation. Natural disasters. Hatred. Love growing cold. I'm sure many examples from current events come to mind for each of these. 

And kind of like the "prodromal labor" I've been experiencing the past several days, these are just the beginnings of the birth pains that will usher in the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. 

32 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts outits leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 34 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark,39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

We have no way of knowing exactly when he's coming back, just like I have no way on knowing exactly when this baby will finally start making his journey out of me (unless we end up having to schedule an induction, which we would prefer not to). 

And I cannot make it happen at any particular time or in any particular way (and trust me, I've tried just about every "natural induction" technique in the book--at least the ones that are considered safe). I wish I could take matters into my own hands and decide the day and the hour (again, the analogy breaks down if there's a medical induction/scheduled C-section), but I have to wait...being ready at any time with my hospital bag packed, the car seat installed, and the nursery ready for his arrival (all the while on high alert for any signs that labor could be starting). 

Do we watchfully wait for Christ's return that way? With readiness, excitement, anticipation, trepidation, and longing? Or do we go about our lives, too easily satisfied (or distracted?) by this world--both its pleasures and its pain. As C.S. Lewis said in The Problem of Pain:

“The settled happiness and security which we all desire, God withholds from us by the very nature of the world: but joy, pleasure, and merriment, He has scattered broadcast. We are never safe, but we have plenty of fun, and some ecstasy. It is not hard to see why. The security we crave would teach us to rest our hearts in this world and oppose an obstacle to our return to God: a few moments of happy love, a landscape, a symphony, a merry meeting with out friends, a bathe or a football match, have no such tendency. Our Father refreshes us on the journey with some pleasant inns, but will not encourage us to mistake them for home.”

Maybe all these "birth pains" lately are meant to keep us from getting too comfortable in our "pleasant inns." If I weren't feeling the way I am now physically, I wouldn't be so ready to get this baby out of my body and into my arms. Does our suffering drive us to long for Lord's coming and hasten that day? The day described in Revelation 21:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, andGod himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Do we really long for such a day? Do we live in light of it? Like we think it's really coming soon? 

I'm fairly certain I quoted Romans 8 a couple of posts ago, but it's definitely relevant here too:

8 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

I have yet to see my son face to face. I've seen him in an ultrasound 20 weeks ago and I see his form in my growing belly. But I know he's in there (miraculously!) and that he eventually has to come out (Praise God, it is physically impossible to stay pregnant forever). 

I haven't seen God face to face either. But there is evidence of him all around. I've seen him at work in this world and in my own life. I feel his presence. He, as the Holy Spirit, lives and moves in and through me. 

And just as I can't stay pregnant forever, he has promised that this world won't stay broken forever. One day Heaven will come down and Christ's Kingdom will be established fully on the earth. One day there will be no more birth pains (or COVID or cancer or corruption). One day it will all be restored and made perfect and new. 

And on that day, will you be ready? Will you have your proverbial hospital bag packed? Will Jesus know you as his own?

Any day now.

Come, Lord Jesus (and come on, Liam!!).