Be Ready For His Return

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore, encourage one another with these words.

(1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)

Jesus shed his blood on the cross, died and rose again to show me the way to eternal life in heaven with him. On the appointed day he will come in the clouds above the earth and call his church up to be with him forever. I know this is true because scripture tells me it’s so. The only thing I don’t know is when. There have been many through the centuries that have tried to predict the time and failed miserably. It could be in the next instant or a hundred years from now, fore no one knows the day or the hour. I hope it happens in my lifetime but if it doesn’t, so be it. God will keep his promise in his own time.

This passage is called, the rapture prophesy. It’s a testimony to God’s ultimate power and authority. He knows what’s in every heart, whether we belong to Christ or to Satan. He will call up the dead who died in Christ first. Even if our bodies have been consumed by decay after death, God will give us an immortal body. He will pluck every one of those who are alive in Christ from the midst of the worldly in the twinkling of an eye.  What a glorious moment it will be to instantly disappear. Then he will instantly translate these bodies of ours from mortal to immortal. Just think about that for a second. A Christian who is alive at the time of the rapture will never experience death of any kind!

My task now is to keep looking up, anticipating the Lord’s return. That does not mean I just stand around constantly gazing at the sky. It means I keep myself in a right relationship with God. The time is short, and because I want as many as who will listen to be raptured with me, I have to keep sharing the gospel of Christ with everyone. This passage does not give me permission to sit back and wait for Jesus to come. It’s quite the opposite. It’s a clarion call to action; my work is just beginning. It will not end until I hear Jesus shout the words, “Come up here!” Maranatha, come quickly, Lord Jesus! Hallelujah!

Father God, the brightness of your glory is like standing in warm sunlight, it warms our hearts and souls. We will glorify and praise you day and night for our whole lives. We ask that you not delay Christ’s return for a second long than is necessary to fulfill your will. We are weary of this world, Lord, and long to be with you forever. We have the hope of your promise of life everlasting. If we have died before he returns, Jesus will call out from the grave and give us an immortal body. If we still live and are in Christ, he will change us, in the same way in the twinkling of an eye. We can’t wait for this day, Lord. On that day, when we meet you in the clouds, we will sing your praises with grateful hearts. We thank you, Lord, for this promise. We can encourage one another with the positive message of your love and desire to have us with you for all eternity. It’s in the precious name of our Lord and Savior, we pray. Amen!