Thursday, June 21, 2012

In Which I Contemplate the End

My baby girl has been fussy today. As she finally fell asleep in my arms, I breathed a sigh of relief, stood up to take her to her bed, and gently laid her down. Two minutes later, she was calling for me. Nothing too frantic, so I waited to see if she would settle back down.

She didn't. Her wails got louder and louder and with each passing moment her anxiety and frustration at not being heard was increasing. I went to pick her up, and as soon as I did, the cries abated.

It struck me. The cry of my baby girl at wanting to be picked up and held by someone who loves her echoes the cry of my heart for our Lord to take His people home! To be eternally in the presence of our Abba Father.

John 14:1-6 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Can you imagine? A room of your own in the very house of God? Some Bible translations use the word "Mansions" instead of "rooms," I'd be happy with either one! A forever home in a place of peace & beauty, where there is no sorrow, sickness, or sin. To exist forever in the physical presence of the God that we believe in but have not seen.

The time is coming soon, friend. We are living in a world that stands on the brink of extinction either by the hand of God or by the hand of ourselves. Our nations possess devastating weapons, and our medical technology is failing us. Illnesses are resistant to our medications and current acceptable sexual standards allow for the rampant spread of debilitating and/or fatal illnesses. I look forward to the day when I will either be "snatched up" to meet Him in the clouds, or at the end of my mortal days when I stand before Him to begin eternity. 

1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 "According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words."

The time is coming soon. Won't you come with me?

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