Have you ever
wished you could turn back the hands of time, if only for a few seconds? Perhaps
you have made this wish, if ever so briefly, to correct a grave error, to avoid
an accident or to side-step a hurt to yourself or a loved one. I have silently
wished this on many occasions, but, like you, have yet to have this wish
granted. Rather, I have been granted two things that are more useful in this
life. These are a fair sense of the consequences
of actions, and a keen interest in trying to perceive what may have occurred in
the spiritual world ‘just before’ a
particular incident manifested.
I thank my parents
for instilling into me a fair sense of the consequences of my actions as an
often disobedient child. This has served me well, especially when Grace intervenes,
and I don’t ‘get what I deserved.’
My growing interest
in perceiving what may have occurred in the world of spirit just before a
particular incident is probably based on my frequent hearing and readings of
scripture as a young boy, and, in particular, hearing of St. Paul’s admonition
that ‘now we see thorough a glass darkly.’
Boy how that would spark my curiosity! I even recall looking through the bottom
glass of a broken Coca Cola bottle to get an idea of what he was talking about.
Reading the Bible’s account of miracles and appearances of spiritual beings on
the stage of our physical existence, my imagination would often get the best of
me as I strained to perceive what might have been going on ‘behind the scenes’
just prior to these appearances.
As an adult
experienced in the world of diplomatic affairs, I can easily perceive and
associate some of the behind-the-scenes developments leading to landmark
moments in diplomacy. No doubt, we all can relate to such linkages or
associations in our various fields.
But what of our spiritual
perceptiveness en avance? Many
Christians practice a kind of ex post
facto spiritual awareness by which they associate some past physical
development with a spiritual principle. While this is better than no spiritual
awareness at all, it takes little growth and practically no faith to do this. In
fact, we probably all know of Christians who regularly practice this ex post awareness by easily
spiritualizing just about every development that comes along.
What is needed is a
sharper, inner perceptiveness to pierce, that is to see, hear and feel, ‘beyond
the veil’ of everyday life. God promises that, as we walk close to Him, we
would hear His voice saying, ‘This is the way, walk ye in it, when you turn to
the right hand and when you turn to the left.’ Many of us have, no doubt,
experienced variations of ‘God’s guidance systems’, and have benefited by
perceiving the many ways in which He can and does guide us.
Admittedly, my
curiosity gets the best of me when I reflect upon Matthew 28, which provides an
array of signals and warnings concerning life on Earth just after the rapture
of the Church. Rather than the traditional focus on interpreting (and often mis-interpreting) news events, I often
reflect upon who will be ‘the last soul saved’ before the next resurrection and rapture event. Reflect with me on this topic
for just a minute. Imagine in a nano second that we, The Lord’s resurrected and raptured saints, are gathered on the ‘cloud
ride to Glory’, and all you believe that moment entails begins to
unfold before you. Now, just imagine you are able to somehow ‘rewind the
tape’ a few minutes or hours before this glorious event, to witness that
last person on Earth who repented of his/her sins and accepted Jesus as Lord
and Savior. (Of course this does not suggest folks will not be saved during the next (4th) age of history. Many will most certainly will!!) Now, imagine what may have been going on in Heaven, when Father God turns
to Jesus and says something like,
‘That completes
Our Church. Go now and bring them home…’
Back on the cloud
ride, can you imagine the tremendous joy and satisfaction of the person who
shared Christ with this ‘last (pre-rapture) soul’, leading to this final decision for
salvation?!
As you continue in your life
on Earth, imagine
you may very well be the
person who shares Christ with …
‘that last soul’ to be swept
into God’s Kingdom
before the dark age of the anti-Christ begins.
Oh, the JOY, everlasting!!!
