The Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
A Prayer For Not Shrinking Back
Father, You indicate in Scripture that the righteous live by faith; and if he shrinks back, You will take no pleasure in him.* When we live by faith we find inner joy and lasting hope from Your promises, not only those already fulfilled but those yet to come. At the end of our earthly existence You promise to end our sufferings and to receive us unto Yourself, rewarding our faithfulness by giving to us a crown of life. We must press on, ever persevering, to win the prize of the high calling which we have received through Christ Jesus our Lord. With the prize clear before our eyes, Lord, we will find the strength to press on and not shrink back. Amen.