The Coming of Our Saviour!
By Sarah J. Wakeling
How we long for it! With what earnest hope do we look forward to the time when he shall come with clouds, when every eye shall see him, and they also that pierced him shall behold him! Prophecies are fast fulfilling, signs are fast proclaiming that the end is near. While those who have given themselves up to the enjoyments of the world, and care not to look at the signs of the times, are comforting themselves, hoping to enjoy long years of pleasure here, those who believe in the soon coming of our Saviour feel to hope and rejoice anew; for they know that this has been spoken of by holy men of old; and they feel it to be another waymark on their journey homeward. How does it cheer the lonely, faithful ones, as they hear that the coming of their Lord draweth nigh. It is then the righteous dead will be raised, for ‐the Lord himself shall descend with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first.‐ It is then we shall meet our dear departed friends, those who have fallen asleep in the hope of the first resurrection, and what a joyful meeting will it be when friends, torn from our loving embrace by the relentless hand of death, will meet us, and as we receive their greetings, what will be our joy as we think we shall never part again! Let us listen to the apostle a little further: ‐Then we which 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.‐ Oh, joyous thought! So shall we ever be with the Lord: be with our lovely Saviour. We shall behold the ‐glory of the Lord, the excellency of our God.‐ We shall dwell in the beautiful city, the New Jerusalem, that glorious city of God which is eternal in the Heavens. There the righteous shall dwell forever and shall have right to the tree of life, and shall eat of its immortal fruit. There we shall behold the heavenly temple, the dwelling-place of the Most High. There we shall walk those golden streets, shall gaze at the pearly gates, and basking in the light of our Father's face, ‐Shall be forever blest.‐ And in that fair land, there is no pain, no sorrow, or death. And there shall be no more tears there; for, *‐God's own soft hand shall wipe the tears,
From every weeping eye.‐* Then let us be comforted, for we know that the promise is sure, and if we are striving faithfully to serve him here, we shall receive our reward. Let us overcome daily through faith in the Lord Jesus, earnestly striving to be ready to meet him with joy at his appearing.