There Is A RedeemerEsimerkki

Our Living Hope The morning after my mother died, I was reading John 6 and talking to God about my sadness. When I came to verse 39, the Lord whispered comfort to my sad heart: “This is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day.” Mom’s spirit was with God already, but I knew that one day she would be raised and given a new body. As I continued reading, I noticed three other times in John 6 that Jesus said He will raise His people from the dead at the last day (vv. 40, 43, 54). He was repeating this truth to those who were listening long ago as well as to my heart that day. Our hope of resurrection will be realized when Jesus returns. “It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed” (1 Corinthians 15:52). After the resurrection, believers in Jesus will receive their new bodies and rewards for their faithful service (1 Corinthians 3:12–15; 2 Corinthians 5:9–11). The resurrection is the living hope of the Christian. Do you have that hope? ANNE CETAS The risen Christ will come from heaven to take His own to heaven.