No Baby's Cry (Part 2 of 3 parts)

Every believer wants to go out of this world with the church when Jesus returns for His Own. We do not want to be left behind. We cannot bear to think that we could come home from work or shopping some day to a forever eerily, empty house. It scares us half to death to think that we could awaken some morning and never again see the face(s) of a loved one(s). It nearly stops our hearts to think that we would never again hear the words, "Daddy" or "Mommy", or "Grandpa" or "Grandma".

Do not think for a single second that I am just playing on your emotions, dear reader. I cannot possibly or adequately describe the horror of a world without a baby's cry; or that loss of a familiar, sudden smile; or the stark absence of eyes seeing us in loving recognition. There simply are no adjective embellishments to describe a world without a telephone call transmitting that familiar voice; that one more pleading prayer; just one more gospel message...and "Please God!...one more call of the Holy Spirit!" But it is all coming... and each one will be there who is not ready now!

It seems that I can hear it all now. "Preacher, if I miss it, I'll drop to my knees right where I am - regardless of where or when - and beg God to save me then and there. I do not care where I am or who is around, I will pray through no matter what!" No, you wouldn't, and no, you won't.

I have heard a few preachers make the statement that the greatest revival the world has ever known will occur right after the church is raptured out and people realize that they have missed it. There are at least three BIG reasons why I do not agree, even though, in the saying, I would be forever grateful if I am mistaken.

First, there is absolutely no biblical proof of that happening. The reason that such a view arises is that all of us desperately want to believe it. We want to hold out some hope for unsaved loved ones and friends.

The second reason is that every credible Bible scholar I know about believes that the Holy Spirit will leave this world with the church. If we cannot find it within ourselves to do what it takes to say "yes" to God and obey God, and walk with God, when faithful preachers repeatedly warn us, and faithful believers weep and intercede for us, and the Holy Spirit consistently convicts us and talks to us, what gives us any hope of getting to God with all of that gone?

The third reason why there will be no great turning to God immediately following the rapture is that if that would do it, the sooner God would allow it to occur, the more would be saved. Every day, persons in a lukewarm, backslidden condition are dying and slipping into Hell. If, because of the rapture occurring, millions would get right with God immediately following, the sooner, the better.

(Concluded next week)

No Baby's Cry (Part 1 of 3 parts)

It is hard to imagine a world without a baby's cry, but when Jesus Christ returns for His church, all babies and children within the age of innocency will be caught out with the believers.

Christians of the year 2009 live in the twilight of the church age, and in the barely perceptible dawning of the raptured church. We are threshold saints, and the very mention of the term should send a shiver through our nervous systems. We have one foot in the church era, and the other nearly with the Savior.

At any time our heart rhythms could change from earthly to heavenly, and our breathing from temporal to ethereal. At any time our eyes could be viewing angels instead of coworkers and family members, and streets of gold in place of concrete and asphalt, and the joyous countenances of the relaxed and redeemed rather than the strained and stressed-out crush of super market shoppers.

In these very days our ears could begin hearing the opening crecendo of the Lamb's song as the redeemed pick up the unrehearsed notes and lyrics of the refrain written before the foundation of the earth. Momentarily we could be standing before Him, looking upon Him in wonder, warmth, and peace.

Are you ready for it? Are you ready, men and women, children and young men and young women? Not only should we be ready now to stand before Him...but are we ready to hand in our homework? That is, ready to stand inspection and judgment?

The entire context and environment of Jesus' words "Therefore be ye also ready" in Matthew 24:44 bristles and expands as He quietly, but fearfully, warns His disciples. No person who ever lived...no preacher who ever poured out his soul...was more poignantly specific about the possibility of being left behind at the moment of Jesus' second coming than He was by this statement.

Christians who would not dream of being unprepared for a house fire, or a hospitalization, or a collision, or a windstorm, or a layoff, or a disability or retirement, will daily, and weekly and monthly fail to maintain their readiness for Jesus' soon return.

(Continued next week)