Longing for Christ's Return

The earliest Christians believed that Christ's return was imminent. Two thousand years later Christians still affirm that Jesus is coming soon. But do we really believe it? Can we really believe it? Does it even matter? 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 conjures up pictures of Jesus floating down on a cloud and Christians flying up to meet him. However strange this may all seem, in understanding what it means, we learn the deep consolation borne of longing for Christ's return.