Fighting back a torrent of tears, I carefully pulled the big van away from the curb. My family had already disappeared inside the airport terminal and would soon be in the sky, headed for some tropical oasis. It wasn't practical for me to go along, and I had work to do, and things to take care of, so it was expected that I would be left alone at home. Besides they needed someone to keep the garden watered, and the animals taken care of...which I was more than happy to do. But still, those facts didn't make the "ache" of watching them all walk away any easier to bear. As I pulled onto the main highway and began to pick up speed, the airport, and departing planes, faded in the distance. But the tears only came more quickly! Ugh! "Why God, do I always cry when I say goodbye!? Why does it feel sooo horrible to be left behind?"

Then God spoke gently to my heart...and my mind took into view a larger picture. "How horrible would it be Mel, if when I come back to take you and your family home that I found you unready...too many loose ends still trying to take care of, projects undone, work that you needed to do, a heart still seeking for it's own way and unsurrendered to me. What if that happened and I had to leave YOU behind?" I bounced along in the drivers seat as the world whirled past contemplating the horrendous thought! Wow!!! I mean, I don't even think about such prospects because I know He's going to take me home! I intend to be ready. But will I truly be ready?? Is there any thing that may be keeping me unready now??

For many, when He comes...they wont be ready. Imagine how heart-breaking that would be?

Being left behind when your family goes to the Bahamas', Cancun, Hawaii, or Jamaica is one thing...after all, they are only gone for a few days, and you know you will be reunited again soon! But being left behind when God takes his children away to their Heavenly paradise for all eternity, and you know there is NO more chance: No more flights you can get on, no more ships that will go...that is a completely different story!! How utterly tragic would that be?? To be forever left behind by my Heavenly love and King...

Not only has God commanded us to WATCH and BE READY...."Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." (Mt 25:13) But He's also commanded us to wake up others to their need to WATCH! "And this gospel - of Jesus death, life and resurrection and soon coming - shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then shall Jesus come!" (My paraphrase of Matt 24:14)

I heard a sobering sermon awhile back. I don't remember if I've alluded to this in previous posts. But basically this preacher was sharing how when Jesus comes back, it will be just like in the days of Noah. Initially we tend to think about all the vanity, sin, and perversion that was in the world at that time. And true, as it was then, it will be in the end of time as well. But God's caution to his people is not regarding living in the sins of the world. Interestingly enough, the things that the Bible mentions in these passages aren't things out of the ordinary.

Reading from Matt 24:37-39

"But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking (what's abnormal or sinful with that?), marrying and giving in marriage (nothing sinful in that) until the day that Noah entered into the ark. And they knew not until the flood came and took them all away."

Then in Luke 14 it talks about the rich man that hosted a "great supper" - representing "a banquet with our Lord." The invitation was sent to many! But they all had excuses...One said, "I cannot come! I just purchased a piece of property and need to go tend to it. Please excuse me!" Another said, "I have just purchased 5 yoke of oxen, and need to go prove them. Please excuse me!" Another said, "I have just married a wife and need to stay with her, so I cannot come." None of these things they were doing were wrong! But they allowed these things to take the focus of their lives at the exclusion of that which was most important...sitting at their Lord's table. What a profound lesson for us today...

I can't begin to share it in the deep way that this speaker shared it. (So please go listen to his sermon if you can.) But the point made was just this: We as Christians in today's world, may think that we are ready for Jesus return, but in reality we have allowed the normal routine every day things of life (keeping food on the table, paying the bills, housekeeping, marriage, family, our pets or hobbies) to take priority in our hearts over Jesus Christ. We have the illusion that hell will only be filled with rapist and murders and thieves etc. But the reality is, that while there will be many true criminals there, the majority will probably be good people that did good things, but allowed the good normal every day things to get ahead of their relationship with Jesus Christ! An "idol" is anything that comes between me and Jesus Christ! Just think about it...it's true! Isn't that what most of the world is doing...holding on to good idols, things that are robbing them of the best? Scary!!!!

Again, there's nothing wrong with doing the mundane things, with eating, with drinking, with work and marriage. The point is, where is our focus and our priority? We must not allow these things to so consume our lives at the expense of our own souls!

So as I drove on home alone, instead of crying more for myself and for the vacation I was not able now to enjoy with my family, my heart ached with a longing for my heavenly home and with the determination that when that day comes, I am going to my Heavenly HOME!!!!!! I will NOT be left behind...