A Celebration – November 28, 2023

The Lord himself will come . . . with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God . . . Therefore, encourage one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians 4:16,18

A Celebration

One hundred eighty-seven-yard par three, the wind is blowing slightly from left to right. You’re deliberating between the four and five-iron and grab the five. The swing feels smooth. It’s a perfect launch, right at the pin and landing a few feet in front of the hole. The little white orb rolls forward and then disappears. A hole-in-one! You jump up and down and scream in elation. Unfortunately, there’s not a single witness. You’ll tell the story again and again. Some people will believe you, but there will be others who will doubt. And that doubt, even though you know the story is true, has its way of robbing a little bit of your joy.

Perhaps you have known the joy of knowing Jesus as your Savior for years. You know the peace of being reconciled to God through the payment that Jesus made for your sins. You know the comfort of forgiveness and assurance of eternal life. But you’ve been surrounded by doubters who have robbed a little bit of that joy and find yourself defending the truth more than celebrating it. As a result, your celebration of his victory has been a bit subdued.

And if it’s not doubters from the outside, sometimes the biggest thieves of joy are the doubts coming from within. ‘Did Jesus really win and secure a spot in heaven for me? Is Jesus really coming back?’ When Jesus comes back, there will be no doubts. Everyone will see and hear who he is. “A loud command. The voice of the archangel. The trumpet call of God.” Be encouraged by these words and that your King is coming for all to see.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, erase my doubts with the certainty that you are coming back as my victorious King for all to see. Amen.