The Place Of Comfort And Rest

Focus: Luke 16:22-23 - KJV

22. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23. And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Luke 16:19-31

Merry Christmas to you, dearly beloved. May the season bring to you excessive love from God and man, in Jesus’ name. The reason for the season is the birth of Jesus Christ, who was born that we may end up victorious upon the earth. For the earth was at a time taken over by the evil one through whose influence every man was turned to evil. But by the coming of Christ, coupled with His death and resurrection, rather than have every man railroaded to the place of suffering, an escape has been made for those who believe in the one that was born and follow His commands, to end up in a better place: a place of bliss and unending splendor as against the place of torment.

While on earth, Jesus Himself told the story of what to expect in the after life through the narrative about a rich man and a poor Lazarus. The rich man had enjoyed life on earth with reckless abandon ignoring poor Lazarus. Both of them died and translated into the other side of life. Lazarus was recorded as being in the bosom of Abraham where all comfort exists; but the rich man was found in a place full of torment where there was weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth. The pain he suffered made him to seek succor through Lazarus but the gulf between the two terrains makes it impossible for even the loving dead to extend a hand of fellowship to the wicked dead.

The Lord wants us to tell everyone that it may be laudable to commemorate Christmas. But the real laudability is in ensuring that the essence thereof is not lost on us. All we celebrate in Christmas will only be meaningful if in the end we are counted worthy of having a place in the mansions that Christ has gone ahead to prepare for the righteous in the father’s house. No evildoer will be accorded a place there. As sweet as Christmas may seem when celebrated here on earth, the best Christmas will be when Christ takes a collection of the righteous as His bride to present to the father. Being a part of that is what is more crucial. It will not be good to be on the other (bad) side of the gulf.

Please pray:

Father, I thank you for the gift of your Son to us all so that we may not perish but have eternal life. I look up to you for your favor, dear Lord that I may end up in your bosom in the end, in Jesus’ name. Let your Spirit keep me in faith that I may never end up on the other side of the gulf like the wicked rich, in Jesus’ name. I look forward to being with you at the marriage supper of the Lamb in regalia full of glory, in Jesus’ name. Make this Christmas a gloriously memorable one in my life in Jesus’ name.

Please share with others. God bless you.