What Hope! What Joy!

We have one great hope in this life, and that is the return of our lord and savior Jesus Christ.  Our God is a God of comfort and hope. We can rest in His love in times of trouble.

In I Thessalonians 4 we find the words that God gives us to remember when a loved one has passed away, telling us to "comfort one another with these words." We'll let the scriptures speak for themselves.

I Thessalonians 4:13-18:

¹³ But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
¹⁵ For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
¹⁶ 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:
¹⁷ 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.
¹⁸ Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

People wonder about life after death; and even among Christians, beliefs will vary. But when we look at God's Word, these verses from I Thessalonians resonate with comfort and love. Those who "sleep in Jesus" and who are also called "the dead in Christ" shall rise first. We who are alive at his coming (wouldn't that be exciting!) shall not prevent, meaning precede, them.  "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."

What a comfort to know that the day is coming when we'll see our loved ones again and we'll "ever be with the Lord!"
I Corinthians 15:52 adds to this:

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

It will happen so fast--"in the twinkling of an eye!" Now that is exciting! What an amazing, joyful reunion for all those in Christ. What a great time to look forward to with positive anticipation. That's our hope!

Our wonderful God sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ "that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life."  The invitation is open to whosoever believes in him. 

Romans 10:9 and 10 tell us:
⁹ That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

¹⁰ For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

It's by grace that we're saved and by grace that we have such a wonderful hope. Jesus Christ was the complete sacrifice for our sins and the consequences of sin. And today we can live for God, knowing that Christ is coming back, and what a day of rejoicing that will be!