Matthew 24:36-44 ~ (New International Version 2010)
36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
When I pray for my neighborhood and my Church for God's blessings, I always picture people as lights -similar- to the art today. Why lights? God's Love is like Light. The reason we use lights as Christmas decorations.
John 1:4-5
In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Is the art today a little freaky, weird? Yeah, a bit. Will the rapture happen just like the photo? There isn't a clear answer for this question. The rapture will occur; God has been telling us about it since Daniel (600 B.C.), Zechariah and Ezekiel. The disciples knew of it from the Old Testament and asked Jesus about it - in this passage. Paul explains events the Lord has planned far better than the image above.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
So, does the end of the world affect me, and you, personally even if Jesus does not arrive in our lifetime for the Second Coming? Of course it does. We are all going to leave this life. The Rapture isn't just about a cataclysmic end of the planet, it is the end of your life. When we read the Book of Revelation, we read about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, sure. We also read about us; every single one of us will have a time of reckoning.
Advent is about preparation; the preparation for God's Son entering the world. His birthday, rejoicing and anticipation through the millenniums - Jesus Christ chose to be born and be part of the tough things life offers. To be part of the joy life brings.
We expect a frail baby coming into the world, as God, knowing He would die for us. Preparation - us knowing someday Christmas will come to earth and we will not be part of this life. As a free gift of Jesus Christ, we will be included when we accept Him in our hearts, with our loved ones in Heaven. Our greatest Homecoming.
Advent acknowledges Father God comes to us, then we are going to God. Christmas lights represent something transient becoming eternal. An Advent wreath is filled with light as the big day approaches. We head into the Light.
"Here I am to Worship (Light of the World), by Tim Hughes
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