You can't beat the weather:
Spring is too rainy and summer's too hot;
Fall is soon over and winter is not.*
An astute observer would note the poetic verse above had to be written in the season of winter and probably on a bad hair day! All too well we know the feeling and we chuckle along with the author. But, nevertheless, the seasonal cycle does continue; winter does fade and soon gives birth to the spring of new life. And new life is what I want to speak of for a moment.
Often, I find myself looking through history books and reading old news articles, all the while thinking, the writer, the characters and all involved have long passed on to eternity. I wonder what they thought of the future ahead--the days they would never see? You see, life does go on. No matter how inconspicuous and shifting it may be to us, it has its own life, its own people, its own places, and its own news. For most, a glimpse of our future will never be known. But there was such a one who did.
Prior to the death of the Old Testament prophet Daniel, he, still reeling in wonder and awe at the visions and dreams he was privy too, an angel appears in his presence to tell him something of his future. A visitation of sorts. The record reveals Daniel reeling in thought and wonder, "Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, “My lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he [the angel] said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end" (Dan. 12:8-9). Again, a little later the angel repeats, "But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days" (Dan. 12:13). In the latter instruction, the angel adds that Daniel, in person, will not see the things he wrote of. His season will change. For Daniel, death will come like an unwelcome intruder interrupting the succession of glorious revelation, in all the Lord had shown him. Yes, his soul will go to the Lord who created it and his body will rest in the grave until the final day when he arises to enter into his inheritance. Daniel's life was not for naught. He had served his purpose, and left the final generation before Jesus returns with a bit of news that would make the headlines in that future day.
Another interesting season in life is found in Exodus.
Prior to the death of the Old Testament prophet Daniel, he, still reeling in wonder and awe at the visions and dreams he was privy too, an angel appears in his presence to tell him something of his future. A visitation of sorts. The record reveals Daniel reeling in thought and wonder, "Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, “My lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he [the angel] said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end" (Dan. 12:8-9). Again, a little later the angel repeats, "But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days" (Dan. 12:13). In the latter instruction, the angel adds that Daniel, in person, will not see the things he wrote of. His season will change. For Daniel, death will come like an unwelcome intruder interrupting the succession of glorious revelation, in all the Lord had shown him. Yes, his soul will go to the Lord who created it and his body will rest in the grave until the final day when he arises to enter into his inheritance. Daniel's life was not for naught. He had served his purpose, and left the final generation before Jesus returns with a bit of news that would make the headlines in that future day.
Another interesting season in life is found in Exodus.
And Joseph died, all his brothers, and all that generation. But the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them. Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.
-- Ex 1:6–8 NKJV
This is almost sad, if it were not for God's glorious future plan unfolding. Joseph, the main character of what many refer to as the most beautiful story ever written, is dead. Not only so, all eleven of his brothers and all of his successive generations are also dead. Yet their lives have left us a very intriguing legacy which led to God's love story of the ages.
We could go on and on about those who have gone on before us; brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers, grandparents and on and on. Each having a life, some good and some not so good. Some believing in Jesus and others not so much.
As with Daniel, the words of the angel's instruction (most likely, Gabriel), hold as true today as ever.
Every person ever born into this world, has a story. And if they pass on or are privileged to be part of the soon Rapture of the Church, they will stand before the Lord and their service to Him, will spell their future inheritance. For the believer, we will be raised into glorious service of the Lord. For the unbelieving, they will be raised to stand in sorrow when they realize they missed their opportunity to say yes to Jesus. That is sad, very sad.
I'm reminded of the what Luke wrote about Jesus' perception of the nation of Israel when He stood weeping over them:
41 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
You see, in each life there is a season ...many really. Seasons where the gospel of the Lord strategically crosses each life path. I must ask, if persistence in unbelief is one's choice then what is it that keeps breath filling their lungs? The Bible has an answer. Longsuffering. Mercy. Grace and a large helping of God's restraint. You see, He is not willing that any person perish, 2 Pet. 3:8, but He waits and waits and waits for all people to come to Him in faith. But if the time of God's visitation is scorned, then the day will come when the waiting will be over. It is then and only then, that the stones of the temple of our life -- those that tell all people who we are -- those built with the mortar of unbelief will totter and fall.
One of the saddest statements in the Bible is found in Rom. 1:24, "God also gave them up." Have you ever been given up on? Maybe a friend, a coworker, a boss? Someone who know longer believes in or trust in you? That's sad. No one wants to be rejected. It doesn't have to be that way with God.
The good news is that you are having a time of visitation by the Lord right now. In this season there can be change for you and for good! Jesus gave His life to save yours. Think of the veteran, the firefighter, or the father who gives his life for a friend or a child. That's true love! Jesus said "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends." John 15:13 That is why He came. Jesus came to bring salvation and freedom from sin and darkness that encompasses this world. He asks for us to seek Him for forgiveness and to receive Him into our lives by faith, that our names may be written in heaven.
In the season of this post I will leave off with this passage:
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. -- John 1:12–13
Your day of visitation has come. Won't you receive Him now? He is waiting. Pray to Him now.
* Edythe Draper, Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1992), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "Seasons".
** Luke 19:41 - 44, The New King James Version. 1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Comments