SWEET TIME

Are you ready to give up and die and go home to be with the Lord Jesus? There are some folks who see no need in hanging on in this world fighting against the daily pressures of life. I’m not talking about suicide, but the life that is exhausted by fighting the good fight of faith. They’re just done with conflict and ready to enter into the joy of the Lord. Occasionally it is a sickness or disease that speeds up the decision to depart.

I remember my uncle calling me a few weeks before he died. He told me he had only one more place to go. I asked him, “And where is that?” He said, “Up!” His mind was willing but his body was weakening every day. When I went to see him, a few days later, we began to talk about old times and once again he brought up being ready to go see Jesus. I told him that he was not going to live one day longer than the Lord had planned. His departing was not sweet sorrow but a sweet hour and blessed event which will occur to all believers in God’s own sweet time.
But, some Christians want to die when they have trouble. It’s not so much that they are longing to be with the Lord, as it is that they desire to rid themselves of the pressure of tribulation when it presses in on them. It is true Jesus prayed that His followers would ultimately be where He is but not at the first sign of calamity. “I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. (John 17:15-16)
Christ prays that His people not be taken away immediately to heaven. He desires for them to stay here. Jesus leaves us in God the Father’s hands. Jesus knows that since we abide in Him and produce the sweet juicy fruit of His kingdom it is necessary for others that we stay a little while longer.
Jesus does ask though that we be kept safe from the evil one. That is significant and should bring you contentment. It is a great notion to be where Jesus is—it is much better by far. But like Paul, we would have to agree that that view is a selfish one outside of God’s own sweet time. Our sweet rest will be here soon enough, nevertheless, we must be at work for the night is coming. Until then, let your prayer be to glorify God with your life right here right now! Even in the middle of your grind, and suffering trust God’s own sweet time to say “It is finished.”

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The 80-20 Rule

In 1906, Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto created a mathematical formula to describe the unequal distribution of wealth in his country, observing that twenty percent of the people owned eighty percent of the wealth. The Pareto Principle, or 80/20 rule, states that 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes.   Although this rule was first applied in Italy when Pareto was looking at the dispersal of wealth, it has since become a rule of thumb for many businesses.   It has been said that 20% of your workforce does 80% of the work, or 80% of your sales come from 20% of your clients.   I think this law comes into play in our lives as well.   Life is 20% what happens to you and 80% what you make of it. There are tons of stories about people who come out of difficult situations — gang life, in and out of jail, drug addiction, broken families, abuse – yet still seem to rise to the top.   And of course, there are many stories of those who have been given everything they would n
Read more

FREEDOM’S PRICE

In 1781, the Fourth of July was named a national holiday and today fireworks, parades and picnics still mark this celebration. Because on July 4, 1776 The Declaration of Independence proclaimed the thirteen colonies free from British rule. What proceeded and followed this declaration were the historic battles still taught in every elementary school. For six years the colonies shook with the Battles of Concord and Lexington, Bunker Hill and Saratoga. The war finally ended at Valley Forge where British General Cornwallis surrendered to what would be the United States’ first president, George Washington. Two years later the British and the Americans signed a peace treaty in France. Freedom does not come without a price. Through the Revolutionary War our nation’s freedom was paid for by the blood and sacrifice of the men and women who fought for their dream of what would become the United States. The battles were not easy, and the years took their toll on our young nation. In t
Read more

WALK THE TALK

As far as your spiritual life is concerned religious talk is not good enough. The apostle John makes this clear in his little epistle 1 John 2:4-6. If someone claims, “I know God," but doesn't obey God's commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God's word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did. John is not talking about sinless perfection here but rather that a Christ-follower is to relate to others the way Jesus did. In other words we have to walk the walk like Jesus. Walking as Jesus walked begins with loving other people. Christ-followers have tried to make Christianity more difficult than it really is. We’ve make it about church membership, or a particular theological persuasion, or saying the right words during baptism, or what version of the Bible is the only one to be used. The apostle is clear. W
Read more