Daily Encouragement Net (Archive/Print Edition)

Monday, February 20, 2006

"One Glorious Day"

"For the Son of Man in His day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other" (Luke 17:24).

We were crossing a long bridge over the Susquehanna River yesterday afternoon on the way to the evening service at church. It was a clear day but I saw a bright flash off to my right, then another. Wondering if I was just imagining things I asked Brooksyne if she saw it. She said that she thought she'd also seen it, but since it was an instant flash it left us both wondering what it was.

Considering that it was a bright, clear day we didn't think it was the weather that would bring on lightning. I then mused what if it was an attack on Three Mile Island (a huge nuclear power plant up the river about ten miles.) Another flash instantly came and went. It turns out that Ester was in the back playing with a flash camera!

But one day, with great certainty, I declare the Scriptural truth that there will be a cosmic event like unexplained lightning which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. When it comes to the end times earnest Christians differ in regard to specifics. There are a variety of views that expound the way things will unfold. Based upon my studies I have a particular outlook, but I realize others who have earnestly studied these things may have a different one. The specifics are just not something I am dogmatic about.

But with certainty I look forward to the glorious time when the event our Lord Himself describes in the daily text will take place. It will happen, perhaps today. That's a perspective I want to live with and encourage you to do the same!

A great hymn that I so enjoy is titled "One Day" and it goes through the life of Christ from His birth to His coming. It has a triumphant final verse that declares:

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming;
One day the skies with His glories will shine;
Wonderful day, my beloved ones bringing;
Glorious Savior, this Jesus is mine!

Living He loved me;
Dying He saved me;
Buried He carried my sins far away;
Rising, He justified freely forever;
One day He's coming, O glorious day!

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Be encouraged today,

Stephen C. Weber

Brooksyne's prayer: Lord Jesus, I want to live today in glorious anticipation of Your second coming. Because You buried my sin into the deepest part of the ocean I do not live in condemnation. Rather I am freely pardoned by Your completely selfless and merciful death upon the cross. It brings unspeakable joy because You have broken the bondage of sin that held me captive for years. I'm also overjoyed in knowing that You, Lord, will come down from heaven, with a load command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God to take me to be caught up with You in the air. I am greatly encouraged in knowing that I will forever be with You and the saints who've gone ahead of me.

Note from Brooksyne: I did not make a commitment to Christ until I was 15 years old. I had been raised in church and was often reminded of the second coming of the Lord through the many sermons I heard from evangelists. I was fearful that I would not be ready should the Lord return suddenly and heard I Corinthians 15:52 quoted often that describes the Lord's return as "a flash, in the twinkling of an eye…" In my immaturity I would practice the words, "Jesus forgive me" as fast as I could say it while I blinked my eyes. I wanted to get into heaven…just barely.. but be able to live a lifestyle uncommitted to Christ. Now, if that's not a rehearsed foxhole prayer I don't know what is. What a tremendous burden was lifted when I finally gave my heart to the Lord at a youth camp. I no longer feared the Lord's return nor did I continue to rehearse my quick exit line. I have anticipated with great excitement the Lord's second coming ever since.

Here's a photo I took of our neighbor's nanny goat along with her one week old kid.