“A Little While”

The Bible tells us our Lord spoke those words.  They came to mind this week when a friend wrote of a death.

She and her husband met a young man while in the service and were impressed with his life as they grew older.  That man passed away this week, surrounded by family, loved by friends, his illness documented on a Facebook page filled with prayers of love asking for healing.

When she received the news, her first thought was that she must tell her husband, but she could not.  He had passed away a few years before, and she was overwhelmed with sadness – for her own loss and for this new widow. Thank God, the Bible offers comfort.

The Bible does tell us that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (II Corinthians 5:8). It also says that He is the God of the living, when Christ spoke of the resurrection and Moses and Abraham (Matthew 22:32). It was Moses and Elijah appearing with Him in the transfiguration that also speaks to me of being with Him (Matthew 17:3). In Revelation (6:10) the saints are before the throne asking, "How long?"

I see these two friends together, no longer concerned about the depth of their faith but having what angels have always had -- personal knowledge of Christ's abilities to keep that which we've committed unto Him against that day (I Timothy 1:12). What a reunion they had! Yes -- we envy them, but we'll have ten thousand years to share that, before we've just begun.

The answer to the prayers for healing, for Christ's hand to be upon them, how better answered than to be with Him, though we are left behind for a while.  Just a little while, and that does bring a beautiful verse to mind:

A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father. (John 16:16 KJV)

The Bible says we need patience, though.

For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. (Hebrews 10:36-37 KJV)

For a little while.