“And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise (Luke 23: 38-43). View these Scriptures from the viewpoint of the dying thief on the cross. As he looked, he saw the first tract ever written in three different languages. He looked at the “inscription” then he stated to the king on the cross, “Remember me when thou comest unto they kingdom.” The Lord then told him, “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” These were the last words the thief heard before his death. He then died and woke in paradise. I thought Abraham could ask him, “What are you doing here?” The thief could say, “All I know is that the King on the cross told me that He would meet me here. “OH! There He is now!”
Then I thought of our time of death. The Bible says, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8). I thought Peter could ask, “What are you doing here?” You could answer, “All I know is that I was not feeling well then suddenly I was absent from the body and now I am here. I was told that I would be present with the Lord.” “OH! There He is now!”
Also as we live this life we are to look for his appearing and our disappearing (2 Tim.4:8). When this event happens we are gathered together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air (2 Thess 4:17). I thought Gabriel could ask, “What are you doing here?” We could answer, “All we know is that it was just another ordinary day then unexpectedly we heard a trumpet and we were caught up to meet the Lord in the air. “OH! There He is now!”
Think of it! In life we are never alone or forsaken as the Lord is always with us (Heb. 13:5). In life I am “with” the Lord and at death the Lord is “with” me. From our salvation He is “with” us (Rom. 5:1) and promises never, never, to forsake us never! Inconceivable! This means from salvation He remains “with” us in life, at the rapture, in death. Then He promises we will eternally remain “with” Him. “Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Cor. 4:18). Together – Forever! The End! No The Beginning!
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