The Christian loves to look forward; not as the man of the world to the morrow, for the morrow is in the hands of God; but, unlike the man of the world, to a day after death, even that of the resurrection of the just.
What a day will that be when the children and parents, the friends and the companions, who are in Christ, shall meet again on the other side of death! The contemplation of that triumphant day stirs the soul with inexpressible peace and joy. Christ is risen from among the dead. He is the resurrection and the life, and all who are His shall be raised and be made like Him. His voice shall awaken those who sleep. “The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible,” and we who do not sleep shall be “changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump.” Then “death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Cor. 15:5454So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. (1 Corinthians 15:54)).
What a victory will this be! And the day is near. The secret of the hour of this glorious triumph is with the Father, but the hour is near. Our tears are about to be turned into everlasting smiles; those whom we wept over as they left this world of tears, and whose bodies are gone to corruption, soon “shall have put on incorruption” and our mortal frames soon “shall have put on immortality.” The Lord is waiting for the day; let us respond to Him in answer to His cheering words, “Surely I come quickly,” “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”