One of my dear readers kindly emailed to tell me about a wedding shower she and her husband recently attended at their church. As expected, there were tables filled with beautifully wrapped gifts for the couple to open, along with platters of scrumptious food and drinks, making the setting appropriately festive.
During the course of the evening, the general conversation strangely turned to the subject of death. Perhaps someone was thinking about the wedding vow of being faithful ‘till death do us part.’ The guests began to describe what they would want their own funeral to be like and where they would want to be buried.
My reader spoke up and said, “I plan to skip all that and go up in the rapture.” This comment was met with an awkward silence. One gentleman said, “Every generation has been expecting His coming,” to which she replied, “I’m aware of that. That’s why we’re supposed to be watching because the signs are more apparent than ever.”
This Christian man unconsciously alluded to 2 Peter 3:3-4 which states, “Knowing this first, that in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.’” This cynical opinion was expressed by a professing Christian!
To me, this is shocking! I mean, I can understand a non-believer holding this attitude. Actually, I always thought that verse was speaking of a non-believer but to hear that a Christian who supposedly placed Jesus first in his life challenged the idea of the rapture, just floors me!
How is it possible for a born again child of God to be a bona fide scoffer? To speak of our blessed hope with derision and mock a sister in Christ in front of other people? All I can do is say to myself, ‘Well Donna honey, you poor, little ignorant darlin’, welcome to the end times!’
Apparently a surprising number of fellow believers echo that same attitude; ‘well, people have been waiting for centuries so why should He show up in this day and age?’ Are they completely insane? No, they must be addicted to that insidious drug called ‘gimmemore.’
Now, I’ll admit it’s a bit challenging to close my eyes and try to envision what’s waiting for us in heaven when Jesus finally snatches us off this wretched planet. Paul informs us in 1 Corinthians 2:9, “But as it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”
I suppose I should cut these people a break. After all, the only things we flesh and blood mortals are familiar with are these physical bodies with their needs and desires, and this physical earth with its temptations and lures and sparkly goodies. We have NO frame of reference for heaven or the things God has prepared, so it’s little wonder it can be difficult to get excited about going there!
Let me try to look at this situation from the opposite angle. Forgive my impertinence but what if we get to heaven and it’s boring? I wonder if that’s one of the concerns these believers have these days. When you’re really involved in this world, there are plenty of distractions that can be very appealing.
Perhaps a house with a better kitchen, maybe even located in the upscale neighborhood your snooty PTA President lives in. That sports car your husband has wanted since he was in 11th grade. Here’s a good one for those in my age range: plastic surgery! Oh, to have everything pulled back up where God intended it to be! *sigh*
OK, I’ll admit there are some things that can still capture my attention. After all, I’ve never been to heaven, so I really don’t know what it will be like. Of course, it will beat the alternative hands down, but will it live up to the thrill of what I could be striving for here? As with many things, it comes down to a matter of trust in what God has told us in His Word.
If I visited several evangelical churches in my area and took an unofficial poll, I wonder how many professing Christians would honestly want the rapture to take place this very day? How many truly want to go home?
More often than not, when I speak of my longing for the rapture, I’m met with blank stares from fellow Christians as if I was some freakish alien. It’s like people get numb or turn off intellectually when the subject comes up.
When is the last time your pastor taught about the most incredible event in human history and how world events are screaming its imminence? Probably about the same time you last heard a message on hell and the cross. Years ago, right?
Folks might as well get their noses back in their Bibles and let go of the cravings and goals of this earthly life. What’s the point of sticking all your eggs in a basket that’s decaying or will surely be destroyed? After all, that bigger house and cute sports car won’t be going with us when we’re raptured, and since we’re SO close, what’s the point of giving those things all our attention? It’s a silly waste of time!
We need to be scurrying around, stuffing our heavenly coffers with acts of love and giving in Jesus’ name while we still have the opportunity to earn more heavenly rewards! Don’t know about you, but I don’t worry about timing and beating the markets here or how much money I’ll have to live on when I retire.
I take comfort in knowing that even in this dire, collapsing economy, my investment in Christ is sheltered because everything single thing I’ve ever done in His name has been sent on ahead to be deposited as eternal treasure and is already safely placed in my mansion. No Wall Street banker blow-hard will ever be able to get his mitts on what I’ve earned!
Since I started out telling you about a wedding shower, let me ask you some important questions related to that subject. Do you consider yourself to be redeemed by Christ? Are you part of His eternal church which He refers to as His Bride?
If so, is your attention focused on earthly things or is your heart longing to join the one you love the most, your Groom? Jesus is coming for His radiant Bride very soon. While you’re still on this earth, continue to do what you have to do to live, but be sure to listen closely for His shout to ‘Come up here!’ I have a feeling it’s going to catch a whole lot of people off guard!
You can reach the author at: bensmomi99@gmail.com