Maranatha: Come, Lord

Maranatha: Come, Lord

Maranatha — 'Come, Lord' — is one of the oldest prayers in the church. It appears in 1 Corinthians 16:22 and in the Didache, one of the earliest Christian documents, where it was prayed at the Eucharist. The earliest Christians were oriented toward the return of Christ in a way that later generations, more settled and institutionalized, often lost. The prayer 'Come, Lord Jesus' is not resigned waiting; it is the active desire of the bride for the bridegroom. The church throughout history has prayed Maranatha most urgently in its darkest seasons — persecuted, suffering, waiting. 'Even so, come, Lord Jesus' is the prayer of people who know that the coming of the Lord is the resolution of everything.

Revelation 22:20 is the second-to-last verse in the Bible. The penultimate word of Scripture is Jesus' promise: 'I am coming soon.' The ultimate word of Scripture is the church's response: 'Come, Lord Jesus.' The entire Bible — from creation's beginning to its eschatological consummation — ends with this prayer. The Advent season is the liturgical embodiment of this prayer: Come. In preparation and anticipation, the church waits for the One who promised to return. The prayer is not impatient — it is confident. He will come. We pray for it because we want it, because we need it, because everything in creation is groaning for it (Romans 8:22). Come, Lord Jesus.