“We do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him…And so we will be with the Lord forever.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13, 14, 17

I make no pretense that I understand what all will happen in the end times. I’ve heard from those who are pre-tribulation, post-trib, pan-millennialists, and I’m not sure what I think about the timing of it all. I am pretty confident, though, that toward the end, things are going to get very bad for a while, and I selfishly hope I’m not around then. But I am also totally confident that then Jesus WILL return, and that part will be BEYOND AWESOME! In fact, He is constantly working in our lives now to get us ready to meet Him. (1 Thess. 3:13)

He also is working to get as many people as possible into His kingdom before He returns. This year I experienced His incredible patience and love for those who are not yet His, as I saw Him woo my mother. My mom grew up in a Southern Baptist family who loved the Lord, but for whatever reasons she had not yielded her life to Him.

Over the years, I had shared my faith with her, as had several other family members, with seemingly no effect. Then last fall, she was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer and her health deteriorated rapidly. One day my uncle (a believer) visited her and told her frankly, “Fran, we want to be sure what's going to happen to you.” He then (again) explained how Jesus had died for her salvation and asked if she wanted to pray with him to accept Christ. And this time she said yes!

As I sat with my mom in her last days, as she teetered between this world and the next, I was able to encourage her to let go of her life here and that Jesus was waiting for her with loving, open arms in an amazing eternity. She died peacefully on February 22. Of course, I miss my mom a lot, but I don’t grieve “as those who have no hope.” I know she is with Him forever.

Today's Blogger: Terri Cavanaugh


Tomorrow's Text: 1 Cor. 12:1-16:24; 2 Corinthians