Always

11/29/2014

1 Thessalonians 4.17 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.  – St. Paul to the Church at Thessalonica (ESV)

So what does it mean to be always with the Lord? Where will we be? What will we do? How along is always? I thought about this as I read this morning and I realized that Heaven, or the Lord’s presence is probably going to be vastly different than what we imagine it to be: exceedingly abundantly beyond all we can ask or imagine (Cf. Ephesians 3) It will be different and it will take all of eternity and more to experience it.

I prayed about my work today. I prayed that I would learn to get out of the way and let God do what He is doing. That, I think, is the best place any of us could be vocationally: out of His way. Maybe though, there is one place better: alongside Him in His way. I would rather be alongside God in all I do rather than crossways with Him in all I attempt to accomplish.

I thought about what we might do in eternity as we will be always with the Lord. I thought about the mission we will be on and the possibility that somewhere along the line in our journey with Him we will be called to do something exceedingly, abundantly beyond all we can ask or imagine. What if, as Jesus did, we are called upon by God to go to someplace in the Universe (or in some other universe) to become as the creatures are in that place, and share the gospel to them? Just a thought?

What if we are called to go to someplace to represent God to ones who’ve never heard, who were created specifically for such a time as our coming? What if, for all eternity, we represent God in fractals of faith, hope, and love so that for all eternity from then, the Story of salvation and redemption continue forever and ever and ever? It sure beats the thought of laying around on clouds with chubby cherubs playing harps…

To be always with the Lord means to be always away from this partial life we live here. It means there will truly be no more sin, sorrow, or sickness. It means we will be freed at last to be all that God has created us to be – and to spend eternity with Him creating our relationship with Him beyond our wildest dreams and imaginations…the furthest reaches of the Universe will see small in comparison.

Father, today, perhaps in an attempt to quiet my heart and mind over the present, I’ve wandered off into thinking about tomorrow – with You there is a tomorrow. And that tomorrow is to be always – or forever – with You. My prayer is that it will be all it’s supposed to be, and that Your creation, Your love, Your presence will be my inheritance as I serve alongside You however, and wherever our adventures take me with You eternally. I can hardly wait! Amen.