Corona Devo 1674

Missing someone today?  

We've all lost someone we love.  A parent/friend/grandparent/spouse/child...and the emptiness without them is very real.  

Do we have fresh sorrow for someone today?  

...And every one of us have aged-aches for loved-ones that we lost yesterday, and many yesterdays ago.  Life is just not the same without them.  We never really release that natural tinge of pain in losing them from our day to day.

Just one more time....what we would give to see them and be with them just one more time.

But--what if I told you that we will see them one more time?

What if the Bible (God) tells us that we will see them one more time?  

We will see them one more time and then: for all time, and because of this, we can have hope today.  

And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. (14) For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.  ~I Thessalonians 4:13-14

We do believe this.  And we can have hope and comfort in this., and because of this Scripture, we don't have to grieve like people who have no hope. 

When someone we care about dies, one of the hardest things to accept is the fact that we don't know what will happen and what is happening to them, now that they are away from us and they are out of the earthly realm.  

But the Bible covers every topic known to our hearts, and here God details what will happen to the believers who have died when they enter His realm, and again when Jesus enters our realm again.  

We don't have to grieve like people who have no hope today.  Well--we can grieve their presence being missed (and we should), and if they were not believers, then we do have grieving to do.

But the Book of Thessalonians reminds us that we needn't grieve their eternity.  No--we will see them again and soon, we just can't exactly say when.  

Death (on earth) is sad, and the wake of it is sometimes hollowing for us.  But death on earth (for those who know and love Jesus) is a goodbye-for-now, with a reunion in the making.  

Let the Lord explain: 

We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. (16) For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves.

(17) Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. (18) So encourage each other with these words.  ~I Thessalonians 4:15-18  

Wow, sadness today will lead into community tomorrow, and communion with Christ.  Just wait for it.  

First Thessalonians reminds us that we needn't grieve (the eternity) for our loved ones lost (if they knew God), and we needn't worry about our own death or what-will happen when Jesus returns (as long as we know God).  

All will be well, really well, one day soon.  We just can't exactly say when.  

Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don’t really need to write you. (2) For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. (3) When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape.  

(4) But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. 

(5) For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. (6) So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded...

(9) For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. (10) Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. (11) So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.  ~I Thessalonians 5:1-5, 9-11

~~~

God's got alot to say to us here.  

Where we are today will dictate where His message hits us hardest, but first for me is that we will have one more time with our deceased loved ones who accepted the Lord into their hearts before their death on earth.    

Our separation from them is current, but not final.  I praise the Lord for His Word and His truth and His promises for Believers: for you and for me today.  

I also praise Him for the peace that He gives us even when we don't understand/know all things, and even when we are grieving a deceased loved one.  We can have peace in knowing Jesus, and in knowing that Jesus will return, and we can also carry His peace even in knowing that we can have no idea when.  

Just be ready.  We can (and must) have our hearts and souls ready for the Lord's return.  He cannot tell us when or where, but He has already made the pre-req's very clear.  

First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves.  (17) Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  ~I Thessalonians 4:16-17

~~~

Missing someone today?  

We will have one more time with our loved ones (dead and alive) that love the Lord, and it will last for all of Eternity.  💓💓💓

...whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever.  ~I Thessalonians 5:11  

Then we will be with the Lord forever.   ~I Thessalonians 4:17 

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com