A pastoral friend of mine suddenly died this morning and I am deeply saddened by it. He was about the same age as me. We used to meet for lunch on a regular basis as a part of a small group of pastors. My other peers are just as shocked as I am. He was such a good friend to all of us, and we’re all going to miss him.When death hits us like that, it can give us a jolt of reality. It reminds me of my own mortality and makes me question my own readiness for meeting the Lord suddenly. I don’t want to get morbid here, but it’s something that we all shouldn’t leave till it’s too late. Being prepared to come face to face with Christ is the most important thing in our life. And no matter when our death comes, it’s always too soon.
Bible Verse of the Day
Revelation 22:7 "Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book."
That’s why I admire the first century Christians. They lived with the imminence of Christ’s Second Coming among them. They firmly believed that Christ’s return was just around the corner. They hoped it would happen in their own lifetimes and were ready, willing, and able to serve the Lord at a moment’s notice.
I don’t think that the same can be said for our present generation. After two thousands years of waiting, we will be totally shocked when Jesus re-appears. And yet, as I’ve written somewhere before, Christ’s Second Coming will happen for all of us the split-second after our deaths. One moment we’ll be passing over as the result of an accident, at home, or in a hospital bed; the next second we’ll hear the blare of almighty trumpets and suddenly realize that Christ has already come. That’s why we need to be ready here and now, because if we leave it to there and then, it will be too late.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, forgive us for taking You for granted and putting Your imminent Return to the back of our minds. We are sorry for disrespecting You and we ask that You enable us to properly prepare our hearts and souls for Your sudden arrival in the world. In Your Holy Name, we wait and pray. Amen.
1 comment:
I was in total shock. I filled his pulpit yesterday as he was going to Kentucky with his wife. I can still remember him calling me on Monday (a week ago) to see if I would be available. He was from my home church and I grew up with his daughter. I know his congregation will mourn his loss.
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