In the season of Advent we acknowledge the coming of Christ in Bethlehem AND the church remembers that she is a people waiting for the Second Coming of the Christ as King.

The following is from an Advent Devotional Called “Once a Day: 25 Days of Advent.”

Jesus’ greatness now reaches to the ends of the earth. And those who know him recognize him as faithful and true, one who has not taken his position by force (like so many earthly kings have), but who was chosen from before the beginning of time. And starting that day in Israel, the king first came as a baby, born into the line of Jewish nobility (because it was from among the Israelites that God had decreed a king would come), and yet from a long line of sinful people so he could identify with us and so that we would choose him too. This was the first time he came, not with force, but with the gentleness of an infant.

But the second time will be different. The second time, it will be sudden, and no one will miss it. Almighty God will open the gate of heaven, and Jesus will burst forth as a king, riding triumphant on a white stallion (not a donkey this time), with the armies of heaven following. Our great conquering king will destroy his enemies once and for all, waging and winning a holy war and ruling over all his people. Then he will reveal to a world that has rejected him that he truly is KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. He will be absolutely sovereign over all people — the lost and the saved — and every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that he is who we accept and claim that he is — Jesus, Christ, Lord.

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Not everyone who dies goes to heaven.
Not everyone who dies goes to a better place.
And no one who dies becomes an angel.

None of these are true. None of these are biblical. Only those who have been saved by Jesus go to heaven. Only those who have received Jesus as Lord and Savior go to a better place. The rest receive judgment and damnation. Hebrews 9:27-28 tells us, “Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”

Everyone will die. And, everyone will face judgment. But for those who have received Jesus as Lord and Savior, we will be saved from judgment and damnation because Christ paid the debt of sin on our behalf.

Now, some people may say that this is harsh, that this is so exclusive. I am not sure about the harsh part. It is merely the truth. But as far as the exclusive part goes, I know without a shadow of doubt that that is a false statement. There is nothing more inclusive than the invitation to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. This invitation to receive eternal life and salvation is open to ALL. How much more inclusive can you get than that?

As far as uncle John who is up in heaven looking down on us as one of God’s angels. That’s totally false. Angels are created beings. They were there with God even before creation. Human beings DO NOT become angels. We remain human, just the way God created us, even after death.

God loves sinners. God could not imagine a world without you and me in it. So he died to transform sinners into children of God. But the way we become God’s sons and daughters is to receive God’s plan for salvation through his Son, Jesus Christ.

Got it?

“But now, this is what the LORD says – he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: ‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze'” (Isaiah 43:1-2).

Pretty sure God didn’t get the memo. You see, when I signed up for this Christian life thing I am pretty sure I didn’t check the “Trials and Tribulations” package. I am pretty sure I signed up for the “Easy Street” package. I mean, who in their right mind would choose the “Trials and Tribulations” package? Right?

I love verse one of Isaiah 43. It tells that God created and formed us. Because God is our Creator we have nothing to fear for God has redeemed us. God summons us by name for we are his.

Wow! That’s good stuff. That’s exactly what I’m talking about!

It’s verse two. That’s what makes me think God didn’t get my memo about “Easy Street.”

Verse two says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

TIME OUT!!!!! SAY WHAT?!?!?!

The “Easy Street” package avoids the waters, avoids the rivers, and avoids the fires. But what God promises is not that God will take us out of the waters, out of the rivers, and out of the fire but that he will be with us in the waters, rivers, and fire.

God doesn’t promise to take us out of troubles and tribulations, but that he will be present with us through troubles and tribulations. And the reason why God doesn’t take us out of troubles and tribulations is because there are lessons that can only learned in troubles and tribulations that we cannot learn anywhere else. God takes us through our troubles and tribulations because God’s goal isn’t to make our lives comfortable, but to make us more like his Son.

God didn’t get my memo. But that’s okay. I am finally starting to understand his.