Hope Beyond This Life

#SpiritAndLifeDevotional 
Sunday, August 2
Chinaemerem Joshua Ibezim

Hope Beyond This Life

1 Thessalonians 4.18 "Therefore comfort one another with these words."

The Early Church used to pray for the early return of Christ (unlike some of us today who don't want Him back yet); they used the word, Maranatha, meaning, "Come, Lord Jesus". It was more than a greeting, it was an expression of hope, a desire within them to be with the Lord, and a constant reminder too, that the Lord was going to return to take them to forever be with Him.

1 Corinthians 15.19 says that "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable." But we have hope beyond this life! We know that whether we die before the second coming of Christ, or whether we are still here by the time He comes, we would be united with Him Who we love and adore. And that's why even when we lose our loved ones in Christ, we do not mourn as though they are gone forever, we know it's only a temporal separation, therefore, we are comforted and are hopeful.

1 Thessalonians 4.16-17 says, "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord." That's exciting! That we someday, soon, we shall always be with the Lord! Hallelujah!

Twitter: @PastorChinae
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