I love waiting, don’t you?
It’s mind numbing. You run out of things to think about—especially since whatever it is you think—you can’t do anything about until you can move on. If you’re waiting in a store line, you see all kinds of personal details from someone’s life that you have no business knowing. At the doctor’s office you’re told to get there 15 minutes early—so you actually get to wait even longer—looking at more personal details (only they tend to be historical there). There are any number of waiting scenarios.
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. (1Th. 4:16-17)
I just love it.
That’s why this has always been hard for me:
I realized I was thinking of it as just another line—others ahead of me again. But since Sunday’s sermon, I have been thinking about the Lord’s return. (maybe today!) And it’s occurred to me that it won’t be waiting like I’m used to.
It will be a celebration.
Can you hear it? Can you see it? Trumpets. Jesus. Joy. Celebrating those who have gone before. Just imagine the applause. And all the cheering.
Bring it on!