If I Was Left Behind - The Rapture

* all [bracketed] words in Scripture verses are mine *

I can't stand being alone. It is the one sentence that most people say at some period or other in their life. In this fictional poem below is dramatized what it would feel like to have everyone your life that you love suddenly disappear. You were told they were going, you knew why, but you didn't really believe they would go. They asked you to join them, you could have joined them but waited a bit too late and they were gone.

This house seemed smaller only days ago, the noise had filled each hall

But as I passed the mirror in the den, the image I cast was small,

I seemed so pathetic standing there, a "loser" since I was born

My face messed up and my wild hair, like a kite the wind had torn,

From room to room I wandered then, I stopped to stare outside

The picture window in the livingroom, stole all my places to hide

From the memories and laughter that haunted me, and the smiles at every turn

It's always taken more time for me, to grow and change and learn.

My husband changed it seemed, in just a day, from an awful to a wonderful man

But I resisted change in any way, so today here I stand,

Alone and afraid with my family gone, I am left alone in the night

It seems to me as I look around, that this whole situation's not right,

The birds are singing and the sun it shines, all saying nothing's amiss

But there goes Mary Jones streaking down the street, looking for a man to kiss.

Any other day that'd be funny, but I know she's lost her mind

Her husband left her the very same way, and I know she'll never find

His arms to hold her anymore, or his lips to give her a kiss

She was my best friend and we played the game, thinking our life was bliss,

We saw our husbands change before our eyes, and we pretended not to see

They told us the change was Jesus, but we knew it couldn't be,

"The thing you've done is too simple, Heaven's far away", we said

"Besides", I said, "We're good people, and this 'change' is all in your head"

We laughed at them and we pushed them away, but they were patient with us

We called them names like "alter boys" and we made so great a fuss

That they didn't say much to us after that, 'cept to say there's a God who cares

Now Mary's running naked down the street, and no one notices her there,

A sudden gunshot in the distance, I know someone's taken their life

The pain of life now's too much for them, so they end it with gun or knife,

It happens everyday in this neighborhood, that someone says goodbye

No one goes to investigate, or even cares to know why,

So I turn around and clean my house, "Now those boys of mine should know

Not to leave their clothes everywhere, now in the hamper you go!"

Each room I straightened with busy zest, feeling good as it sparkled and shined

And it occurred to me, just like Mary, maybe I'd lost my mind,

But then I got to the nursery, not touched since the baby had gone

The door was shut tight, I was in "cleaning mode" and the truth is, life goes on

So with resolve I opened the door, and the sight stole my breath away

I pulled up the rocker, sat next to the crib, wishing I knew how to pray

I had let the cover remain in place, so I gently pulled them aside

There were her jammies lying there, but my daughter was not inside,

That was how I found the clothes, of my husband and two little boys

My husband had been watering the lawn, and my sons were playing with toys,

I was staring directly at them, when they vanished from my sight

So I shook my fist at the heavens, "You know God, this isn't right!"

"I know they said this would happen, You know I didn't believe it true

And now I live without my family, and the person I blame is you!!"

Then a sound in my ear drew my focus, and I heard the TV say

"I will lead you into tomorrow, if you follow me today."

Now without my family with me, it feels to me they're dead

I didn't know the man from Adam, but I believe every word he said,

I lay on the couch with a pillow, around it I softly curled

At last a voice of reason, I think he'll fix the world.

My husband was a stupid fool, for doing everything "so right"

From now on I'll just serve myself, every day and night.

Dear Reader, I read of this event to come and I shudder to think of how it will affect anyone that I know and love.

"But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep [died], lest you sorrow as those who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus [those who die knowing Christ as Savior]. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep [dead]. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words." (1 Thessolonians 4:13-18)

This person in the story above could be my daughter or sister or mother or friend. It was me, a while back. I rejected the notion of asking God to save me because "I was as good as anyone else." I figured that God would not require everyone to see things with this narrow view. I learned that coming to God on His terms is the only way to heaven.

"I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but by Me."

First I realized I was a sinner, and a person that comes to God must believe themselves to be lacking a Savior. Of course one must believe in a God who saves. Jesus is God in human flesh that came to earth to let sinners kill Him, so that His blood sacrifice would pay for the sins of all mankind. This sacrifice was for all sinning people that ever lived. All a person has to do is to cry out in their need for a Savior and ask Jesus to save them. It really is that simple. As long as a person turns from their sin and cries out to Jesus they will be saved. Most people have others telling them of Jesus and know this to be true. Please do not play games with time, like the person in the story. Jesus is coming soon and if He does not come in your lifetime, the fact remains, life is short. No one knows what is on the morrow. So pray this:

Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. I believe You died to pay for my sin. I cry out to You to forgive me of my sin and save me. I believe that you died for me and were buried for me and in three days rose from the dead. I believe the blood that You shed was for me. Thank you Jesus for saving me this day. I pray this prayer in Jesus' name. Amen.