2026.09.13 | I Do Not Pray Like Jesus Is Coming Back

I do not like admitting this, but I often pray like there is plenty of time.

I pray for meals.
I pray when someone is sick.
I pray when life feels out of control.
But when it comes to people I love who do not know Jesus, my prayers can be strangely casual.

I say I believe eternity is real. I say I believe Jesus is coming back. I say I believe judgment is real and grace is available. But if someone looked at the urgency of my prayer life, I am not sure they would know that.

That hit me during the sermon.

Jeff said we should not take Matthew 24 and start arguing with people. We should not look at every news headline and convince ourselves we have figured out the end. But we should have more urgency to share the hope of Jesus with people God has put in front of us.

That sentence stayed with me because I know exactly who those people are.
A neighbor I wave to but rarely slow down for.
A coworker who has shared enough pain that I should probably ask better questions.
A family member I avoid spiritual conversations with because I do not want it to get awkward.
A friend who knows I go to church but maybe does not know why Jesus matters to me.

I do not think urgency has to mean pressure or panic. I do not think it means forcing a conversation or treating people like projects. But I do think urgency means love becomes more honest.

If Jesus is coming back, then my silence is not neutral.
If judgment is real, then grace is not a private possession.
If the gospel is true, then people need more than my niceness.
They need to know there is a Savior.

I left Sunday thinking less about timelines and more about names.
That is probably good. Because Jesus did not give Matthew 24 so I could win arguments. He gave it so I would endure, hope, and stay faithful.

This week, I want to pray differently. Not vaguely. Not someday. By name.
And when God opens a door, I want courage to speak with gentleness and honesty.

Jesus is patient. Jesus is saving. Jesus is coming back.
That should change how I pray today.