Encouragement about dying…

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:1–11)

With floods, earthquakes, tornados and other natural disasters, plus air and auto accidents, cancer and other life-threatening diseases, and the media repeating bad news continually, little wonder some people are thinking that Jesus will come soon. 

Interesting that this passage says this will happen when people will be saying there is peace and security. Is that the Pollyanna people who never listen to bad news? Or those in spiritual darkness or drunk as this passage suggests? Or those who have no idea that Jesus will return to judge the world, or even do not know who He is?

For those not in such categories, we know that we don’t know when He will come, either in judgement or to take His people home. Those who know Jesus and yet die in accidents or disasters, etc. go to live with Him. We are not destined for wrath and even though such deaths can be a terrible thing, both on the news and for grieving survivors, we will be with Him. 

This week, a group of us prayed for a woman who is 100 years old and not well. Her son asked that she die peacefully in her sleep. Many Christians do. My parents did. This eases those who are left, yet if He takes me home in a fire or flood or crash or whatever, the encouragement should be that I am home, however I get there.

Jesus, most sudden deaths seem more tragic to us than leaving this world in our sleep, but You are in charge of that. I just want those I leave behind to know that I am with You and to know You so they have total confidence that they will see You and even me one day as well.