I found this sign in the MD Anderson Emergency Room. Only patients from the various MD Anderson hospitals are allowed admittance to this ER; therefore, the patients have already experienced the palpable fear of being diagnosed with a killer disease and the waiting, testing and surgery to save their lives. Having to rush to the emergency room due to some complication only adds to the fear.
From experience, let me say there is a lot of fear in such situations and, if it was not for the prayers of the saints for you and your loved one, you would be totally consumed by it. Satan wants to bring you to the abyss of hopelessness and chain you in it with the fear of death, but, bless God, the prayers and love of the saints keeps you free. I feel sorry for the individual who has to go through this alone, without God and His children interceding for them. Ephesians 2: 12 says before our salvation, we were “having no hope and without God in the world.”
Therefore, this little exhortation scribbled in marker on a dry erase board, speaks volumes to those going through these life and death struggles.
The Apostle Peter who knew about struggles and persecution tells us in his first letter where to put our hope about the future:
“Therefore, gird your mind for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (I Peter 1: 13)
The “…at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” is when He appears in the sky to rapture the church out of the earth. This will include all born again believers alive and dead. Those who claim to know Him, but are just religious and not born again, will not be taken. Jesus told a leader of the Jewish nation “Truly, Truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
The “… grace” to be brought to you refers to your inheritance that Peter referred to in verse 3 and 4 when he wrote “born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,…” This inheritance, among other things, refers to our glorified bodies we will receive when He raptures the church. Our salvation will be complete. We are justified by faith in Christ’s work, we are going through sanctification now and then at the rapture we will be glorified. Our mortal bodies will be transformed into a glorified body just like the Lord Jesus’ glorified body.
Peter says “in this you greatly rejoice..” (verse 6). “Rejoice” is from a “Greek word speaking of extreme joy expressing itself externally in an exuberant triumph of joy. In verse 8 we see that it is a glorified joy made possible by our future glorified state, a joy not possible now in our mortal bodies. Tears of joy are just evidence of the inability of our present state to fully feel the joy that comes to us at times. But then in our bodies of glory we will be able to drink in and appreciate all the boundless joys of the Savior’s presence.” (Wuest)
Peter says this is what we should “… fix your hope completely on..” And this hope is not a mere wishing that something may happen. Hope here is a “complete hope, a perfect hope, wanting nothing, being in its character an assured expectation. Peter exhorts us to “set your hope perfectly, unchangeably, without doubt and despondency upon our future glorification.”‘ (Wuest) The phrase “…to be brought to you…” means that this grace or inheritance is already on its way. Wuest says you could translate it “which is being brought to you.”
Dear Pilgrim, just passing through this temporary earthly realm, don’t set your hearts on the trinkets of this existence but keep pursuing God until you experience His Glorious Presence at the Rapture and your mortal being is swallowed up in immortality. What a day that will be when we will see Him face to face. Are you ready? Praise His Name!!!
Thank you for your time.
Carl
Psalm 119: 38 