HER little pet was gone. The cage door had been left unfastened, the window was open and the bird had flown.
Those who have suffered similar losses will understand what the child felt when she made the discovery. All had been well when she went to sleep at night, but when she awoke she learned her loss.
As I thought about it my mind turned to other things. I began to think of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His beloved people.
This blessed event may happen at any time. It will occur, we are told, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump.”
It is for
“THOSE THAT ARE CHRIST’S”
He will come. As sinners they have fled to Him for refuge from judgment and sin. They have believed on Him to the saving of their souls, and have confessed Him as their Lord and sought to live for His praise and honor. To them He says from the glory where He now is:
“SURELY I COME QUICKLY!”
And their hearts answer His blessed message with the invitation:
“EVEN SO, COME, LORD JESUS!”
Joy indeed will be theirs when He comes. They will see Him and be like Him, and then be forever with Him. “The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” (1 Thess. 4:16, 1716For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16‑17)). But what joy will be the Lord’s when He has all His own, for whom He died, present with Himself in all the delights of His Father’s house.
But
WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO ARE LEFT BEHIND?
They will awake at last from their sleep of folly and sin, and find that the Christians who have spoken with them and at whom they have laughed are gone, and gone forever. The cage has been opened and they have winged their way to heaven to enjoy its blessedness.
Loved ones and friends have departed, and they remain. The door of blessing and salvation has been closed, and closed forever against all who have slighted and rejected the Savior. They meant to be Christians one day, but it was always “Not yet” —and now—
IT IS TOO LATE.
O! what heartrending sorrow will be theirs! To think that they have missed all the golden opportunities which they had. Their last chance came to them, and they let it slip, and now, unconverted, unsaved, undone, they have only to tread their way helplessly, hopelessly on to the judgment of God.
Awake, awake, ye sleepers! The Lord is at hand. He is coming swiftly. He is coming surely. He is coming soon.
Are you ready if He should come while you read these lines?
ML-02/22/1920