Coffee With The Lord

I was awakened early this morning, with this old toe-tapping gospel song running through my mind! Several dear Christian friends the last few weeks – faithful servants of the Lord – have slipped away to their heavenly home! I post this in their sweet memory today – and I determine that verse 3 of this song will be true of ME! And furthermore, by the grace of God… “When the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there!

“When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, and time shall be no more,
And the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fair
When the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore,
And the roll is called up yonder, Ill be there

“On that bright and cloudless morning when the dead in Christ shall rise,
And the glory of His resurrection share
When His chosen ones shall gather to their home beyond the skies,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there

“Let us labor for the Master from the dawn till setting sun,
Let us talk of all His wondrous love and care
Then when all of life is over, and our work on earth is done,
And the roll is called up yonder, Ill be there

“When the roll, is called up yonder,
When the roll, is called up yonder,
When the roll, is called up yonder,
WHEN THE ROLL IS CALLED UP YONDER I’LL BE THERE!”
Songwriters: C. Barny Robertson / James Milton Black

Here’s the Scripture the song is based upon…

“We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words!” (From 1 Thessalonians 4:15–18 NLT)

The last one chosen… or maybe NEVER chosen – the pain of exclusion!

Perhaps you’ve experienced it – or you’ve talked to those who have. It’s painful – no, more than that; it’s psychologically and emotionally damaging! In fact, some people never get past the pain of exclusion! I’ve watched little boys and girls on the playground with tears running down their face and seen them sulk off by themselves to bear the wounds of exclusion. And painful rejection and exclusion are not only childhood experiences – it happens to adults! Rejected for organizations, for jobs, and excluded by “the in crowd.” The pain of exclusion is a universal social tragedy.

But God doesn’t do it! In fact, His promise is, “Whoever comes to me I will NEVER cast out!” (John 6:37) and the parable of the Prodigal illustrates it beautifully!

Sometimes when we read the Bible we get the idea that “Jews” are “God’s chosen people” and “Gentiles” are the last ones chosen – the “Johnny come latelys” – an “afterthought” in God’s program of things. In the eternal scheme of things they are only the afterthoughts – the rejected ones through the centuries, standing off in the corner of the playground, wiping the tears from their eyes… And God finally says “Well OK, I guess I’ll take him or her on my team!” No! A thousand times NO!

This morning I read this wonderful, inspired passage that Apostle Paul closes his epistle to the Romans with…

“This message about Jesus Christ [the Gospel] revealed God’s plan for you Gentiles, A PLAN KEPT SECRET FROM THE BEGINNING OF TIME. BUT NOW AS THE PROPHETS FORETOLD AND AS THE ETERNAL GOD HAS COMMANDED, THIS MESSAGE IS MADE KNOWN TO ALL GENTILES EVERYWHERE, so that they too might believe and obey him! All glory to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, forever.! Amen! (Romans 16:25–27 NLT)

So we’re NOT “John-come-latelys!” We’re NOT an afterthought – a reluctant choice! We were included in God’s wonderful plan of salvation through Christ from the very beginning of time! How did the old Gospel song put it…

“Jesus included me!
Yes, He included me!
When the Lord said, “Whosoever,” (John 3:16)
He included me!”

Holy Spirit generated “boldness” (Acts 4 esp. vss. 13, 29 & 31 and 28:31) is not rude, crude, “in your face” religious demagoguery … instead it is a loving, unapologetic, honest expression of the “good news” of the gospel and the joy of serving the Lord and others in Jesus’ name. It is incredibly attractive to many who are searching for spiritual reality and an authentic lifestyle.

Lord, I want and need the “boldness” that the Holy Spirit produces! The ancient church prayed for it and you granted it (Acts 4:29-31)! Generate it again in us!