For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 KJV
These are intended to be encouraging words for every child of God; they refer to the rapture of the Church. This will be a time of great reunion, both with our loved ones who have preceded us in death, and with the Lord. Paul called this the blessed hope (Titus 2:13), and here tells us to comfort one another with these words (4:18). These words are comforting because: (1) our loved ones who are now absent will not always be so; (2) the Lord is coming to take us to be with Him; and (3) we will be taken out of this world before He judges it because of sin (I Thessalonians 5:9). The rapture can happen at any time, are you ready for it? The only way to be ready for it is to know Jesus as your Savior.
Lord, I long to hear the shout, the voice, and the trump announcing You are on Your way. To be caught up and meet You in the air will be worth the wait. As I wait, help me remain faithful to the work You have called me to do.
