TODAY'S FORECAST: CLOUDY WITH TRUMPET BLAST

My grandkid Natalie's depiction of clouds.
I wonder which cloud we'll land in on the rapture.

Recall your toddler days' nifty doodles of cats and dogs, flowers and trees, sun and clouds? 

Our three year-old grandchild habitually punctuates her nature doodlings with the sun shining at the corner of each drawing. 

Kids have this uncanny ability to discern God's beautiful creation, don't they? 

Take clouds, for example. Wispy white or eerie gray, they speak of God's glory. 

Remember how God caused the cloud to hover above the Israelites—to lead and protect them from the sun by day—while they wandered in the wilderness? 

Exodus 13:21-22 "By day, the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people." 

Acts 1:9, after our resurrected Lord told his disciples that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit comes: "He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out of their sight." Jesus' disciples saw Jesus go up to heaven! In a cloud. 

We who are still alive await another cloud-filled phenomenon: 1Thesalonians 4:16-17 "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 

Why do believers all over the world look forward to this event? It's a promise given to His disciples after Jesus ascended to heaven. 

Acts 1:10-11 "And while they were gazing into heaven as He went, behold two men stood by them in white robes, and said, 'Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus who was taken up from you, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven." 

Bah, fairy tale, many claim. Come on, was it all an illusion that Jesus was with them—in the flesh; and proved Himself to be the Son of God because of all His wondrous miracles and teachings which changed the lives of those who believed? 

How can changed hearts and lives be the stuff of fairy tales? 

Testimonies of changed lives abound. God's love is real. Life-altering. Pride-busting.  

Jesus is what He says He is. And whatever He promised, He will fulfill—as the ones He did for His earlier disciples. 

So look to the clouds, brethren! Our redemption is near! Set your toddler eyes on Jesus. 

Believe not only with your mind, but with your heart, that Jesus alone saves. He promised to take us to be with Him. It doesn't matter if we die physically and pass over to eternal life now; or if we're raptured. 

Imagine this when the rapture happens: We're sound asleep. Or on a plane. Or doing house chores. The trumpet sounds. In the blink of an eye, we find ourselves in the cloud. Everyone rejoices. The whole of heaven celebrates!  

Jesus Himself welcomes us in the cloud—not on the cloud. I imagine that to be the most gigantic, palatial cloud of all. Wouldn't that be just nifty? 

Jesus will do exactly as He promised. Promise!

Prayer: Jesus, you came to save us. I acknowledge you as my Savior and Lord. Forgive me for my sins. Help me to believe in your finished work at the cross. Help me to believe that you have indeed made a special place for me with you for all eternity. Holy Spirit, lead me, guide me. In Your name, I pray.