We Shall Behold Him

“Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see Him- even those who pierced Him. And all the nations of the world will mourn for Him. Yes! Amen!” (Revelation 1:7 NLT)

One day, sooner than any of us can possibly imagine, we will stand face to face with the God of the universe. What will we be feeling in that moment? Delight? Joy? Peace? Rejoicing? Release? The realization of a life’s longing? Or fear? Foreboding? Anguish? Frustration? Anger? Shame? The Lord alone knows how we’ll feel, but this much I know with certainty – that day is coming!

We’re naïve and blind to the truth to deny the Bible’s Words are true. As surely as the Bible’s words that foretold Jesus’ first coming were true and fulfilled, the words that declare His return are just as certain. It’s not a matter of “if,” it’s only a matter of “when!”

Are you ready? What does that mean? How do we get ready for such a cataclysmic event? By simply placing our trust in the truth that Jesus is God’s Son. God poured Himself into human flesh, to die in our place and to pay the penalty for our sin, a debt we could never in eternity pay ourselves. But the wonderful, good news is, by faith we can accept the payment Jesus has already made in our place.

The Bible says in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…” Wages are what we earn by what we give our life to. A wage is what you deserve for the work you’ve done. Sin earns us a “wage,” but that wage is death. Our determination to live like we want to live (i.e. our own way), results in a separation between us and God. That’s what “death” is, a separation between us and the God who loves us and gave Himself for us.

The good news is, Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sin, to bridge the gap that our sin has created between us and God, and give us the privilege of being united with God through the sacrifice of His only Son, the Lord Jesus. By inviting the Lord Jesus to forgive us and to live within us in the Person of His Holy Spirit, we can be, as the Bible teaches, “born again” into a new love relationship with the living God. We initiate that relationship through prayer, by inviting the Lord to come into our heart and life. 

Through that relationship we grow to know God and to understand our great need of Him. Our desire to know, love, and serve Him grows until the longing of our heart becomes to actually one day see Him face to face. The Bible tells us that day is coming.

In some sense that day has already come for those who have preceded us in death and may come for us in that way as well. But for sure, the world is winding down and one day soon the Lord will call a halt to it all. Ready or not, the Lord is coming. Please don’t wait another second to make sure your life is securely in His keeping. Go to Ron Hutchcraft’s website and get things settled while there’s still time.

For me, the Lord’s coming is the greatest news I could ever consider. There’s no one I long to see more than Him. Please take a few moments to listen to this beautiful affirmation of that day by Sandy Patty that will stir your soul and encourage your spirit: We Shall Behold Him!

Blessings, Ed 😊