[123]. A Message From A Poem – He Will Receive Us To Himself

[123]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HE WILL RECEIVE US TO HIMSELF

Time for confession. It is no secret that the theme that occurs in a few of my poems (sometimes only a brief mention) is that of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in Person for all His disciples. That coming is soon and is sometimes referred to as the Rapture, a word meaning “a snatching away.” “I will come again and receive you unto Myself that where I am there ye may be also.”

I spent some time thinking about the question, “How . . . will the Lord come for us?”. I drew up 11 points to answer that question, ones such as, “He will come personally. He comes to begin the completion of the redemption, etc.). A few of the points are incorporated in this poem/hymn.

The Rapture is a theme I like to contemplate so that is why its elements flow into my various poems if even just a mention. The Lord’s coming is a joy of expectation for most Christians but a great uncertainty and fear for those outside of Christ. Reader, do you have the absolute assurance that you are in Christ; that you will be caught up to be with Him if He comes today? If not then do not delay your acceptance of God’s gift of salvation while the opportunity is still here.

And Christian, do you have the joy of expectancy of the Lord’s return or are you living a life unto yourself? Indeed that is something to think about.

This composition uses the common 8-8-8-8 metre so many tunes will fit. “When I survey the Wondrous Cross,” etc.

Many tunes will fit. “When I survey the Wondrous Cross,” etc.

The way some church-goers treat the coming of the Lord, I wonder if they have much interest in the coming of the Lord for His Church. It is the glorious hope and some don’t seem to have the hope.

THE FACT AND COMFORT: {{1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 “for the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet 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 thus we shall always be with the Lord.”}}

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HE WILL RECEIVE US TO HIMSELF

Received to Him, untainted bliss,

That this world will not comprehend.

Received to Him, not one will miss,

Of those to Christ, whose ways did wend.

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What joy it was when saved from sin,

To know its penalty removed.

But joy supreme, when then with Him,

From present sin forever moved.

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In Person, Christ will come for us,

“Arise My saints from sorrows’ ground!”

Rise mortals, too. ‘Tis glorious.

Death’s shackles can not hold us bound.

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He comes again in history’s page,

To harvest His redemptive fruit.

From every nation, every age,

Received to Christ, the Lord, in truth.

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Caught up with Him forever more,

In history’s greatest gathering,

We’ll praise the Lamb and Him adore,

Because of His deep suffering.

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The Bride will sing of unfeigned love

In victory, with victor’s voice,

Translated, with her Lord above

(Redeemed and with her Lord above,)

Then in His presence, she’ll rejoice.

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5 - 6 November, 1997 R E Ferguson 8 - 8 - 8 - 8