This morning I find myself talking up where I left off last night. My cup is filled with Door County Jamaican Me Crazy Coffee. I am located on the patio listening to Old Gospel Hymns with our dog Gibbs at my side. The aroma from the last of the lilacs is permeating the yard. I am blessed.
I sat here last night until my oil lamp ran dry and the flame flickered out. Which made me think about what I would write today.
I have lived a life that has been full of adventures. It has been a full life. I am sure there are a few adventures left in this one. Just waking up and going to work is a daily adventure. But there is one final adventure that I will make some day.
2 Corinthians 5:1-8 King James Version (KJV)
5 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
1Thessalonians 4:13-18
13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.[b]
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
Some day the flame of this Earthly body of mine will run out of oil and burn out. My soul will then be present with the Lord. Then some day after that when the trumpet sounds my soul will be reunited with my resurrected body. This will happen for all believers in Christ Jesus. Those still alive will be raised up to the clouds with Jesus. We will be reunited with family that have gone on before. The Lord may come back today, if He does the believers who are alive will be reunited with our Christian loved ones in God's presence. Our separation is not permanent! (and then secondly there will be a reunion with Christ). One day the Lord will come back and Christians who are alive will be caught up to join the resurrected bodies of those who have died. "And so shall we ever be with the Lord."
But as with most adventures we need to be prepared. That preparation starts with a life that has been surrendered to Jesus Christ and who have asked to be forgiven for their sins. The realization for the need of a Savior and the acceptance of the free gift of Christ's death, burial and resurrection as pardon for our sin comes first. Then and only then are you ready for your lamp to flicker out.
Hope to see you there. It's a choice for all to make. Well a little rain has decided to rearrange my morning.
God bless,
Marty
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