There’s nothing quite like waking up in the “wee hours” of the morning with the phone ringing. Most of the time, I get excited when the phone rings because it means that someone is reaching out with news or just to find out how we’re doing. But, when the phone rings and it’s still dark outside – your heart pounds and you answer nervously, like people did years ago when they got an unexpected telegram. You expect the worse! By the time I got to the phone – they had hung up. That really gets to you. Five minutes later when I’m snuggled down and am about to try to get back to sleep again – the phone rings! Guess what? It was a wrong number! Ugh!
This got me to thinking about how people feel about the Lord calling us home. Paul told the church in Thessalonica, “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night” (I Thessalonians 5:2). Jesus will “call us” when we least expect it. Heaven – that’s what we’re LIVING for, right? Then, why aren’t we looking forward to that unexpected call? I guess it goes back to the old cliche’ – “Everybody wants to die and go to heaven – just nobody wants to go right now.” There are times when illness or accidents occur and we think that death is approaching. Seven years ago today, I almost lost Steve when a virus attacked his heart. I’ll never forget the cardiologist telling me that it would be touch and go, but he could be a good candidate for a heart transplant. We literally said our “good-byes,” but the thousands of prayers were answered and he is still with us today. Yet, the Lord will “call” again.
We will all receive that call. Will you be ready? John said, “And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.” Simply Blessed, Courtney
WOW–Powerful!!