Bienvenido Mr. President!

President Barack Obama arrived in town on Friday for a sit-down visit with the President of Costa Rica, Laura Chinchilla, and six other Central American heads of state. Obviously, having such an important dignitary arrive in our small, rather laid-back country has caused quite a commotion. Large parts of San Jose were simply shut down. Security has been impressive for a country which doesn't have a standing military. I suspect our cell phone service was even briefly shut down at the time of Mr. Obama's arrival!

 

 

One of our long-time co-workers, Lori Lehnherr, went out to the airport to see Air Force One. I kind of laughed at her doing it.. after all, I had work to do! However, when she texted me about the experience, I must admit that I wished I had been there for the President's arrival.

 

Only three other sitting U.S. Presidents have visited Costa Rica. The first was John F. Kennedy in 1963. It may be hard for you to believe, but people STILL talk about that visit.. it meant a lot to Costa Ricans. President Ronald Reagan visited here on December 3, 1982. Because the purpose of Mr. Reagan's visit focused on the civil war in next-door Nicaragua, the generally pacifist Ticos do not say much about his time here. President Bush (41) also came here for part of a day in 1989 for a meeting of the national leaders in the Western Hemisphere.

 

With all the normal pageantry, a rather somber note was injected into the festivities with the arrival of Carlos Arredondo, the Costa Rican hero from the Boston Marathon bombings. You remember him. He was the guy with the cowboy hat who jumped over the barrier to provide first aid for some of the victims. He had attended the marathon to encourage those who were running in honor of his son who died fighting with U.S. forces in Iraq in 2004. Carlos' mother said she wasn't sure why he came now - maybe to ask President Obama to name a federal building in honor of her grandson.

 

Observing everyone getting ready for Mr. Obama's visit has made me think about another "state visit" to be made at some yet-to-be-announced point in the future. Someday, and I certainly do not claim to have the date or details, Jesus will return to His creation. Even though the phrase "second coming" is never used in the New Testament, it is referred to over 300 times. The most common term used to describe His return is "parousia" - a Greek term used to describe the arrival of a ruler at a specific location.

 

The night before His crucifixion, Jesus promised His disciples that He would return (John 14:3). And, ever since His ascension, we have been waiting. Some days it seems like His coming is right around the corner and on other days it feels like it has been a long, long time. Still, the Apostle Paul encouraged his disciple Timothy and other Christians to "eagerly wait" for Jesus to come again (2 Timothy 4:8).

 

In the mid-seventies I unexpectedly met my grandfather, Joe Roland, in a small, Minnesota town. When he saw me across the street he walked over to shake my hand - hugs were not really part of his emotional vocabulary. As he greeted me he said, "You know, I always thought I would see Jesus return. Now I'm old. Maybe you will." And, with that, he walked off to do whatever he had come to town to do!

 

Sometimes it was hard to figure Joe out.

 

Grandpa has been gone a long time now. This old world kept right on turning after he got off. Still, as I remember his words to me, I hope I am still eagerly waiting and remain on watch for the Lord's return. I would hate to not be there for THAT arrival - no matter how much I think I have to do!