Join the Party

vs 6, When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’
vs 9-10, And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.
vs 32, We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found! 

Luke 15:6, 9-10, 32 NLT

There IS a special joy that comes from finding something that has been lost - no matter what it is or how it might have been lost. One of my favorite sayings of all time is, "Those who keep an organized desk will never know the joy of finding something they thought they had lost forever."

As joyful as it is to find something, it's even more so when it's someone who is found. I like major milestones in life, such as high school reunions. Especially, if you’ve been out of school for longer than you care to admit. I’ve noticed the longer we’re out, the more people want to also meet the night before. They want to get the party going once they're all in the same place. The closer it gets to the date of the reunion, the more focused everyone becomes and the more energy there is in trying to find "lost" classmates. In the email thread leading up to the event, you can almost hear the excited response when you read that over 50 new addresses were added in the last week.

In thinking about that and feeling the excitement of it all, I got to thinking about heaven. Verse 10 of our text for today reads, ...there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents. If we will find the ones who are lost and dead in their sin and help them find new life, then we can all be together when our Father calls us home, and we can get this party going.

Prayer:

Father,
           The time is drawing near. Help us to be more focused and expend more energy in showing the way home for all those who are lost to You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

The Heart Knows

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words.
1st Thessalonians 4:16-18 NLT

Do you ever watch the YouTube videos of the soldiers returning to their families? From the youngest to the oldest, the depth of honesty in their response is overwhelming. All pretense, any pride for-the-sake-of-appearances, and all self-consciousness are thrown aside and what you experience is the intense integrity of the love and the long-anticipated reunion... and I cry every time with the overwhelming emotion of it.

In every situation imaginable, people are going on with their day-to-day living, doing whatever they need to do to cross one more day off the calendar toward that homecoming, but inside is that deep longing, the on-the-edge gnawing awareness that a part of you is missing and will soon be coming back. And the closer the day looms, even when you don't know the exact date, the more you feel it. The heart knows...But it's very clear in those videos whose hearts are involved and who are just observers...

Are we anticipating the return of Christ in that same manner? Are we crossing off the days that make it one day closer to His return? We don't have the exact date, but we know it's soon. Can't you feel it? The heart knows... Is your heart involved or are you just an observer? Will it be a grand reunion or grave regret? The choice is still yours. He loves you. Give Him your heart today.

Prayer:

Father,
            Our hearts are responding to Your most famous act of love - You loved us so much that You gave Your only Son, so that whoever would believe in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. How extraordinary that if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and we believe in our heart that You raised Him from the dead, we will be saved. We can hardly stand to wait much longer. I know You're the only One who knows when You will send Jesus so we can be reunited. Even so, come quickly, Lord! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Preparing for a Reunion

Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives across the valley from the Temple. Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to him privately and asked him, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will show us that these things are about to be fulfilled?”

Mark 13:3-4 NLT

Several years back, my siblings and I planned to get together. For the occasion, we were going to a new place and my nephew advised me not to try to find it in the dark. It’s one of those places that is best found in the light of day. The clan began gathering Thursday, more Friday, others Saturday. And all of it was over on Sunday. So basically, it was a mini-reunion. However, the label of “mini-reunion” is a misnomer. There is no such thing as a mini when it comes to our family. It’s almost as if there was an unwritten law that Italian families had to have one member for each letter in their last name making it an acronym. If you knew how to spell your last name, you could name all the kids in the family… Dante Ilario Giovanni Imilia Anthony Carmine Isidro Nicholas Teresa Octavio… Thankfully, in the “Americanizing” process of changing the last name, some were shortened!

Acronyms are their own language. And now with IMs and texting, abbreviations and acronyms are in danger of running amuck. I’m all for a good acronym, but it can get a little crazy…  However, there is one I rather like: B.I.B.L.E. Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. Actually, it’s not a true acronym, but it is a great backronym - a phrase constructed after the fact to make an existing word into an acronym.  And it is a good warning – we do need basic instruction before leaving Earth.

You see, God has planned a reunion. The family started gathering a long time ago, some not so long ago, and for others, just today. I don’t know about tomorrow though, because it’s not promised to anyone…but the day is coming when He’ll call us all home. Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to him privately and asked him, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will show us that these things are about to be fulfilled?” The answer is in the Bible. We have to prepare. Do you have enough oil for your lamp? You can’t find it in the dark. You need the Light. It can only be found in the required B.I.B.L.E.

Is JC ur BFF? b/c He’ll BBIAB & AFAIK u can’t DIY. Pls, even if u r fubar, np. He LM & is w8ing 4u2 CHB. K? HTH… *

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth and understanding. Your Word tells us that if we lack wisdom, we have only to ask You. Thank You for writing it all down for us. Birth anew in us the desire to study Your instruction manual. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

* Is Jesus Christ your best Friend forever? Because He'll be back in a bit and as far as I know, you can't do it yourself. Please,even if you are fouled up beyond all recognition, no problem. He left a message and is waiting for you to call Him back. Hope this helps...