I’ll See You in the Morning
By Pastor F. M. Riley
“…..weeping may endure for a night, but joy
cometh in the morning,”
Psalm 30:5.
As I write, my beloved
wife, Helen, is in the hospital again for the 8th time since
September of 2004. She has now been in the hospital this time for 25 days.
She is very weak and her health is extremely fragile. I have been spending
most of my time with her at the hospital. I have no love for hospitals,
but I sure love my wife and enjoy being with her. She is a sweet sister
in Christ, a dedicated Christian lady, a wonderful preacher’s wife,
and a special gift from God. I know that the Lord must love me a lot to
have blessed me with such a special precious lady to be my wife.
Each night just before
I leave the hospital my wife and I pray together, thanking the Lord for
His blessings upon us and asking for His continued mercies and blessings.
Then we give one another a goodnight kiss before parting. As I leave the
room each night I almost always say to her, “Goodnight sweetheart, I’ll see you in
the morning.”
A few nights ago, I
kissed her goodnight and told her again, “I’ll see you in the morning.”
But as I walked down the long hallway to the elevator, I was feeling anything
but encouraged. She was suffering so much pain and was so weak. She didn’t
appear to be getting any better, but if anything her health appeared to
be deteriorating. I really wondered if she would still be alive the next
morning. I was so burdened down with sorrow and grief that I was almost
at the point of despair.
Then suddenly the Lord
[I know it was the Lord] spoke to my heart, calling to my mind the
very words that I had spoken to Helen only moments before, “Goodnight sweetheart, “I’ll see
you in the morning.”
Folks, I cannot adequately
describe the relief that came to me at that instant, and the joy that flooded
my soul. The Lord reminded me again that our survival in this life and
world is never the main concern. This present life is but a preparation
time for eternity. Helen and I are both children of God; true believers
saved by the grace of God, Ephesians 2:8-9. Therefore our future is already settled. I
knew that very instant that even if Helen did not survive the night, I still
had the sweet assurance of God’s Word, “I’ll see you in the morning.”
Blessed Assurance
Folks, the inspired
Word plainly tells us that a great, grand reunion of all true
believers is going to occur in the near future. In 1
Thessalonians 4:13-18 we read,
“But
I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which
are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again,
even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring
with Him.
For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord, that we which are alive and
remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [precede] them which are asleep.
For the Lord Himself shall descend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the
trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught
up [raptured]
together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and
so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore comfort one another with these Words.”
Folks, we are living
in “the night” of human history, Romans 13:11-14; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-7. But we are headed
for “the day” of God, 2 Peter 3:12-14. Our beloved Savior has already risen in
the hearts of true believers. He is the “day star” that dispelled the darkness of unbelief
and graciously gave to us “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ,”
2 Corinthians 4:6. Very soon now our beloved Savior will
appear in the heavens [visibly] to His
people as “the bright and morning star,” Revelation 22:16.
In the natural realm,
throughout human history the “morning star” has appeared in
the eastern sky just before the darkest hours of the night. The
appearance of the “morning star” in the heavens was [and is]
a heavenly announcement that the “dawning of the day” is near.
From the time the “morning star” appears in the heavens, it
is approximately two hours until the break of day. For thousands
of years mankind has watched this daily drama played out in the heavens.
Read Psalm 19:1-2,
Revelation 3:10, and 14:7,
and marvel at the harmony, majesty, and precision of God’s Word.
Glory!
The Lord Jesus Christ
used this very example from the natural realm when He declared Himself to
be “the bright and morning star,” Revelation 22:16.
Folks, the Lord Himself will appear in the heavens just before the
darkest hours of this world’s “night.”
And, glory to God, the Scriptures tell
God’s people [true believers], “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory,”
Colossians 3:4.
Yes, this is clearly
pointing out and teaching the rapture of God’s people just before the terrible
darkness of the seven year Tribulation. There, just before the “dawning of the day” God’s people [those
truly saved] will meet the Lord and one another in a great, glorious,
grand reunion. Glory! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!
Folks, every time
we have to say goodbye to a fellow believer in Christ; a precious loved
one, a dear relative, a true friend, or just a good neighbor, it brings
sorrow into our hearts and lives. Yet, our sorrow is not the same as that
of “others which have no hope” [those lost in
sin], for we have assurance from God’s wonderful Word
that we will meet “the dead in Christ” again in glory.
Therefore we who are true believers can stand by the graveside of those
we love, and by the authority of God’s Word joyfully declare, “Goodnight! I’ll see you in the morning.” Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord! Glory to God!
Blessed Assurance
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood,
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
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I’ll Meet You In The Morning
I will meet you in the morning,
by the bright river side,
When all sorrow has drifted away;
I’ll be standing at the portals,
when the gates open wide,
At the close of life’s long, dreary day.
I’ll meet you in the morning,
with a “How do you do” and we’ll
Sit down by the river, and with rapture
our “auld” acquaintance renew;
You’ll know me in the morning,
by the smiles that I wear,
I’ll meet you in the morning,
in the City that is built foursquare.
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to forward this Bible study to others, or to reproduce copies of it to share
with others, or to quote from it, always keeping it in context as written.
All comments, questions,
or other correspondence should be addressed to the writer, either via email
or regular postal mail at the addresses listed below:
Email: ctx36364@centurytel.net
fmrglorybound@centurytel.net
Pastor F. M. Riley
Last Call Gospel Ministry
3305-D Clark Lane PMB 147
Columbia,
MO 65202