A Reunion in the Skies

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud cry of summons, with the shout of an archangel, and with the blast of the trumpet of God. And those who have departed this life in Christ will rise first. Then we, the living ones who remain [on the earth], shall simultaneously be caught up along with [the resurrected dead] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so always (through the eternity of the eternities) we shall be with the Lord! - 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (AMP)

It is truly incomprehensible how this will feel when it occurs, but I am convinced that it will be the most intense pleasure that I will ever have experienced up to that point. These words were spoken by someone who had experienced a personal encounter with Jesus. You can tell in Paul’s writings that he and Jesus knew each other. Many of the readers of these words of encouragement likely had seen Jesus
while He was on earth. Now they were waiting to join Him. Just a few thoughts about this reunion this morning…

1. He’s going to come get us personally. He’s not going to send someone else like His driver or right-hand angel. Jesus Himself is coming to get me and you. If there were a knock on the door, He would be the one standing on the other side when I opened it.
2. It will be an unmistakable moment. If anyone has ever thought that it would be possible for Him to come and not know that He had been here, think again. His arrival will be heralded by the trumpet of God Himself. Its blast will resound throughout the entire universe and the skies will split apart revealing His presence to all of humanity.
3. Somehow, seemingly instantaneously, those who have died knowing the Lord and those who know Him when he returns will converge at the place in the air where He chooses to make His entrance and from that point forward, for the rest of eternity, we will be together with Him and with one another – a reunion like no other.

Comfort one another with these thoughts today.