What an awesome moment ( and not memory) in time when we saw our son get off the plane with hundreds of other military people after his first long deployment overseas. “I think I see him!,” the kids frequently shouted but they did not really see him—yet.  We watched with our son’s wife, his kids, his two sisters and their families.  Yes, we all came to the air base with homemade signs to greet this returning loved one who was greatly missed! 

We waited, not so patiently, for a first glimpse of our returning airman among the crowds of people also waiting to see their loved ones.  Suddenly, his wife shouted, “There he is!”  Once we looked in the direction of her pointing fingers, we saw him, too.  “Yes, it’s him, it’s really him!”  When he was close enough to touch, hugs, excited laughter, along with pure joy mixed with tears of emotion greeted this son of ours who came home.

WYKYK— (When you know, you know) When you know who you are looking for, you will most likely be the first to see Him.

Matthew 24, The Message

The Arrival of the Son of Man

^23-25 “If anyone tries to flag you down, calling out, ‘Here’s the Messiah!’ or points, ‘There he is!’ don’t fall for it. Fake Messiahs and lying preachers are going to pop up everywhere. Their impressive credentials and bewitching performances will pull the wool over the eyes of even those who ought to know better. But I’ve given you fair warning.

^26-28 “So if they say, ‘Run to the country and see him arrive!’ or, ‘Quick, get downtown, see him come!’ don’t give them the time of day. The Arrival of the Son of Man isn’t something you go to see. He comes like swift lightning to you! Whenever you see crowds gathering, think of carrion vultures circling, moving in, hovering over a rotting carcass. You can be quite sure that it’s not the living Son of Man pulling in those crowds.

²⁹ “Following those hard times,

Sun will fade out,
    moon cloud over,
Stars fall out of the sky,
    cosmic powers tremble.

^30-31 “Then, the Arrival of the Son of Man! It will fill the skies—no one will miss it. Unready people all over the world, outsiders to the splendor and power, will raise a huge lament as they watch the Son of Man blazing out of heaven. At that same moment, he’ll dispatch his angels with a trumpet-blast summons, pulling in God’s chosen from the four winds, from pole to pole.

^32-35 “Take a lesson from the fig tree. From the moment you notice its buds form, the merest hint of green, you know summer’s just around the corner. So it is with you: When you see all these things, you’ll know he’s at the door. Don’t take this lightly. I’m not just saying this for some future generation, but for all of you. This age continues until all these things take place. Sky and earth will wear out; my words won’t wear out.

³⁶ “But the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heaven’s angels, not even the Son. Only the Father knows.

^37-39 “The Arrival of the Son of Man will take place in times like Noah’s. Before the great flood everyone was carrying on as usual, having a good time right up to the day Noah boarded the ark. They knew nothing—until the flood hit and swept everything away.

^39-44 “The Son of Man’s Arrival will be like that: Two men will be working in the field—one will be taken, one left behind; two women will be grinding at the mill—one will be taken, one left behind. So, stay awake, alert. You have no idea what day your Master will show up. But you do know this: You know that if the homeowner had known what time of night the burglar would arrive, he would have been there with his dogs to prevent the break-in. Be vigilant just like that. You have no idea when the Son of Man is going to show up.

^45-47 “Who here qualifies for the job of overseeing the kitchen? A person the Master can depend on to feed the workers on time each day. Someone the Master can drop in on unannounced and always find him doing his job. A God-blessed man or woman, I tell you. It won’t be long before the Master will put this person in charge of the whole operation.

^48-51 “But if that person only looks out for himself, and the minute the Master is away does what he pleases—abusing the help and throwing drunken parties for his friends—the Master is going to show up when he least expects it, and it won’t be pretty. He’ll end up in the dump with the hypocrites, out in the cold shivering, teeth chattering.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

• We learn that Jesus is coming back someday soon to claim His own. 
• Only God knows when.
• Live each day in great expectation of His arrival!  Could be today!
• In the meantime, faithfully keep doing His will for His purposes with our eyes on the skies!
• When He comes, may He find us loving God, loving others, while in obedient service to Him as He leads and guides us.
• May He declare, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”  Let’s go home.

Wow, just wow.  What a Day that will be…when my Jesus I will see…

Lord,

We will know, yes, we will ALL know, when you come in all your glory!  There will be no mistake that it is you!  I cannot imagine the emotions of pure, inexplicable, ecstatic joy that will overwhelm us when we see you and shout, “there He is!”  “Until then, my heart will go on singing, until then my joy will carry on…” all because of your amazing love, the gift of grace, and new mercies fresh each morning.  Oh, how I love you!

In Jesus Name, Amen

I listen to the trumpet of Jesus
While the world hears a different sound
I march to the drumbeat of God Almighty
While the others just wander around
I’m a member of the Holy Ghost traveling band
We’re moving on up to a better land
I hear the voice of the Supernatural singing
Like only those who know Him can…

(Trumpet of Jesus, by Russ Taft)

Behold He comes, riding on the clouds
Shining like the sun at the trumpet’s call
Lift your voice, (it’s) the year of Jubilee
Out of Zion’s hill, salvation comes…

(Days of Elijah)

There’s No God Like Jehovah!