Whenever I reflect on the second coming of Christ and try to grasp that the Lord will come down from heaven with a trumpet call and that the dead in Christ will rise, I realize I have no context to even begin to grasp the magnitude of this promise.
All who call Him Lord will respond to that trumpet call. It’s so freeing to release and trust myself to Jesus and to know that He is in control. We cannot predict how or when, but we can be ready for His coming. In the meantime, we can help others prepare.
Recently, I was on a flight and sat next to a 22-year-old soldier. During our conversation, he shared his struggles and guilt about having ended people’s lives. We began to talk about spiritual issues and eternity. He told me that the idea of living in eternity terrified him. As a soldier, he always had a next rank to advance to with a clear understanding of what it involved. Eternity was entering the unknown and that was very frightening. We discussed this at length and I left praying that He would see eternity as a wonderful gift of God’s love.
How does the thought of eternity affect you? How does it impact your conversations and how you live each day?
Lord, You are coming again and all of us who know You will rise up with You. May each of us be prepared for that day. Thank You that You have given us forever to worship and adore You. Help us to be courageous and bold to share with others so that they, too, can spend eternity with You.
Take Action
Spend some time in prayer seeking God. Ask Him to show you how the reality of eternity and His return can have an impact on something you plan to do in the next 24 hours. You could also help others prepare for eternity by becoming an online mentor; by answering just a few emails a week you can see God change lives.
Read The Memory You Leave Behind.