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Real Dudes,
When our girls were toddlers it was a chore getting them ready for Church on Sunday mornings. We’d enjoy some family time at home and in the van, and then we’d eventually arrive at church. One of the first things Karie and I did was drop the girls off at the Nursery. This is where everything changed. All morning mom and dad were their safe place, but now we were handing them over to some strangers. I wonder what was going through the girls’ minds at such a young age. I know they’re body language and mouths were literally screaming at us to not leave them, and it was as if their little human arms began to develop additional tentacles in a split second…taking on some kind of a super human strength. Most children do not enjoy being separated from their parents. They will cling to them with everything they got in them. They will scream to let everyone know that they are not approving of this decision. Nothing you say could suffice them in the moment. Parents could attempt to reassure them with words such as “Sorry, you can’t go with us into the service, but it’s ok, mommy and daddy will be back shortly,” or “you’ll be fine…look at all the toys in there.” Really? That makes absolutely no sense to them. All they want is to be close to what and who makes them most comfortable. Due to some distractions they might calm down and be ok for a while, but that doesn’t erase the thought of where they’d prefer to be at that moment. In the book of John, chapters 13-16, we read about the final moments that Jesus spent with His disciples leading up to His death on the cross. In John 13:33, 36 and 37 we read the following…33 Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. 36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.” 37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.” Notice how Jesus addresses them…as LITTLE CHILDREN, and He’s telling them that where He’s going they cannot come just yet. Sound familiar? Little children wondering where they’re parents are going, and why they can’t go with them. The questions, the panic, the separation anxiety are all surfacing. Today, I’d like to point out the differences in the responses from John 16 verses 16-22.
For the disciples…they responded by trying to process all that they just heard. Their minds resorted to asking questions, and they began to express great sorrow. For Jesus…Because of His faithfulness, He responded with reassurance, with hope, and with joy. Not only do I promise that I will see you again, but you will see Me, and our seeing will be full of joy. Will it be sad for a while? You bet. The Apostle Paul addresses this in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (CSB) The Comfort of Christ’s Coming 13 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For we say this to you by a word from the Lord: We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage [comfort] one another with these words. Will we grieve when a loved one passes away? Yes. But what is our hope according to this passage in 1 Thessalonians? That we, who are in Christ Jesus, who have accepted Him as Savior, who have placed their faith and trust in Him, WE WILL see each other and Him again someday. That is our hope. 2 Peter 3:8 (CSB) is also a great reminder, “Dear friends, don’t overlook this one fact: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.” It may seem like an eternity before we can be reunited with Him and our loved ones who have gone before us, but we need to be reminded that it will be just a little bit and then we WILL see them again (our faith will become sight), and that our seeing WILL be full of joy. What might that day look like…just take a look at the first 59 seconds of this video and I’ll close with that and the hymn below https://www.tiktok.com/@baby._.funny.2023/video/7319747615137058091 Hymn: What A Day That Will Be...face to face with Jesus. Enjoy, Nate For further study…there are times in scripture where “seeing” and “joy” are used in the same passage… SEE…JOY!!! Bible results for “see joy” from New King James Version.
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AuthorNate Smith is a husband, a father of 6 girls, grandpa to 3 granddaughters and one grandson, a police and fire chaplain, a pastor, and has a passion to see men grow in Christ. 
#girldad including granddaughter
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