A LITTLE girl was with her father on the cliffs. She had been running about gathering flowers, and playing with her brothers and sisters; but now the others had all gone on, and she stood by her father’s side, watching the sun set over the sea. It looked like a huge ball of fire, and as it appeared to dip in the water, she exclaimed, “Isn’t it wonderful! It’s just like fire. I wonder whether this earth will look like that at the end of the world. I don’t like to think about that time. It’s so dreadful to know that this world is going to be burnt up, and everything in it. I hope I shall die before then.”
Taking her hand into his, her father said,
“All those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, will be with Him before that time. He is coming to take His own people away before the dreadful things which are to happen on this earth take place; and if you are really one of His own, you need not fear the end of the world, for you will be in the glory with Himself—safe in His keeping.”
“O! I am so glad,” exclaimed the child, “for I do belong to Him, but I didn’t know that He was coming before the end of the world. I thought that all who were alive then, would be burnt up, and that the believers would go to heaven, and the unbelievers to hell; but it’s very nice to think of being taken away by the Lord Himself before that time I am glad.”
“Yes,” answered her father, “those believers who are alive when He comes, will never have to go through death. ‘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).
From that time the prospect of the Lord’s coming was a great reality to her; and she is now, with many others, waiting for God’s Son from heaven, knowing that in “a little while He that shall come, will come, and will not tarry.” (Heb. 10:3737For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. (Hebrews 10:37)).
ML 08/02/1925