[246]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – SOON THE LORD WILL COME FOR ME
Lines here can be reversed to make 9-7-9-7. (Change “Soon” Line 3 to “When”)
The chosen metre for this poem in a more unusual one 7-9-7-9 as it does not follow the usual convention of having the first line longer than the second line. However as noted at the end, the lines can be reversed with just one change.
The words of Paul to the Corinthians are so comforting – {{1 Corinthians 15:52-53 “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for the trumpet will sound, and THE DEAD WILL BE RAISED IMPERISHABLE, and WE SHALL BE CHANGED. This perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality,”}}
1 Thessalonians 4 tells us that the dead shall be raised first, then we who are still alive shall be caught up to be with the dead who are raised. This “catching up” is what many call the Rapture. It is what I look forward to, that time when the Lord will come for me.
John saw the same event in a vision as he was translated to heaven in spirit – {{Revelation 4:1 After these things I looked, and behold, A DOOR STANDING OPEN IN HEAVEN, and the first voice which I had heard like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me said, “COME UP HERE, and I will show you what must take place after these things.”}}
This coming is what I am looking forward to, and that will be The Rapture. I will not go on to explain that as I have done it comprehensively in the Eschatology Series in SermonCentral.
The coming of the Lord is called “The Blessed Hope” – {{Titus 2:13 “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Christ Jesus.”}}. I see in that verse the Rapture first; then the Second Coming.
Do not think that the Lord comes to claim His Church so that we have everlasting joy. Yes, that is true, but the primary reason for the coming is for Christ to claim HIS BRIDE! He loved the Church and gave Himself for it. His Bride, the Church is the joy that caused Him to go to the cross – {{Hebrews 12:2 “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of faith, WHO FOR THE JOY SET BEFORE HIM, endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”}}
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SOON THE LORD WILL COME FOR ME
He is coming soon for me -
Blesséd entry to eternity.
Soon the trump of God will sound,
And will gather His from all around.
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Raised to Him our peerless Head -
Christ, our Lord whose precious blood was shed.
To Himself, He’ll us receive -
Those redeemed who in His works believe.
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Rise to Me without delay,
Saints whose bodies in the earth now lay.
Rise up too, you mortals live;
All together in Me, will abide.
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Purity and joy to share;
No more sorrow, hurt or blame or care.
Changed, our bodies and our minds;
Joys abound and glories of all kinds
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Expectation our hope girds -
Comfort one another with these words.
Dead saints, live in liberty!
Mortals, put on immortality!
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Raised to Christ, with Him to be -
Riches shared from heaven’s treasury.
We shall thus be with the Lord -
Worship, praise and serve in true accord.
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Ron Ferguson 7 December 1997 7-9-7-9 AABB