by Brian G. Bettes

The day after Jesus Christ returns, I will be a spirit being, living as a part of God’s Family (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17). I will no longer have physical aches, pains, or imperfections in my body. All of the restraints caused by birth defect, accident, abuse, or age will no longer bind me or slow me down (1 Corinthians 15:35, 42-44). I will be able to jump around if I so desire, or zip from place-to-place at the speed of thought. The first time walking through a wall instead of using the door will be really fun. There will be a lot of firsts, and they all will be fun. I am really looking forward to, the day after…

The day after Jesus Christ returns, I will look around and see so many of those who left this earth before I did. It will be “old home week” but on a much grander scale. I think my mother, who died at the young age of 49 when I was 27, will be the first one I will look for. So many things to mind-meld with her about (talking will be old fashioned at that point). Introducing her to my wife for the first time will be just awesome. Those two are going to be a hoot together! J.R. Hamilton will be there, who I wrote a blog about previously. I will be looking forward to seeing his great big smile and get a huge bear hug from him. There will also be loved ones and friends that I haven’t seen in years. We will all be very excited to see each other, but we will also humbly rejoice together as we hear those precious words, and it begins to sink in…we made it (Matthew 25:21, 23, 34)! I am really looking forward to, the day after…

The day after Jesus Christ returns, I will have the opportunity to look into the eyes and faces of those who, in my youth, carelessness, inconsiderateness, or just plain foolishness and rudeness, I hurt in some way. I will have the joy of seeing them there, but I will also have the incredible healing experience of telling them how sorry I am that I was so…well…me, and it affected them negatively. I will thank them for being so forgiving. I am sure there will be those who will ask forgiveness of me as well. I probably won’t remember what they are talking about, but if I do, I will be able and eager to open my heart to them with true Godly forgiveness, holding no resentment, and having no reservation (Ephesians 4:31-32). We will all be so very thankful that we see things differently now, the day after…

The day after Jesus Christ returns, I will be able to share my deep love with my fellow brothers and sisters—the whole Body of Christ—with no concern about the organizational name of where we attended, or which church leader we were following, or which doctrine we didn’t see eye-to-eye on, or any number of the other unimportant things that we allowed to divide us (1 Corinthians 12:25; John 13:35) before, the day after…

The day after Jesus Christ returns, for the first time ever, I will experience true peace. Peace that I have not known because the chains of sin will no longer hold me down. Weakness, fear, doubt, and my own human reasoning will be a thing of the past, and I will no longer live my life in the shadow of these faults (1 John 4:4). Peace I have not known because the world will no longer be held captive by a powerful evil being named Satan the Devil (Revelation 20:1-3), who has been so ready and willing to exploit my weaknesses, doubts, fears, and human reasoning. True righteousness within me will be all I know, and that will bring me a peace I have never known (Philippians 4:7).

There will also be a peace I have not known because we will all be under one Ruler, and He will lead the world with a system of government based in service and love; a system that works (Isaiah 9:6-7). It will not be a government that is corrupted by greed, lust, grasping for power, and driven by the selfish interests of those governing. I, and all of the world, will experience peace as we follow the lead of the Prince of Peace, the day after…

The day after Jesus Christ returns, I will have a new job with new responsibilities (Revelation 20:6). I have always struggled to see myself as a priest who intercedes with God for others, or a king who administers Jesus’ government over some part of the earth somewhere, but it is a really cool idea. I mean, I believe that will be true since He said it will be, but I just have a hard time putting myself “there” right now. But I am excited about supporting Him in His reconstruction plan as He rebuilds the earth into a harmonious ecosystem that has not existed since Eden (Isaiah 2:4; 11:6-8). It will be both interesting and fun to see how that all takes shape and comes together starting, the day after...

Yes, it will be an exciting, interesting, beautiful, peaceful, loving, and very different time from what I know now. As the whole world takes a deep breath of fresh air and breathes out a collective sigh of relief, like the changing of the seasons, the difference will be clearly noticed by all. As the Spirit of God begins to cover the earth as the seas (Isaiah 11:9), peacefulness, joyfulness, and happiness will slowly start to take their grip on the earth and settle in as the “new normal.” What a wonderful time it will be.

Wow! The more I think about it, I really am looking forward to, the day after…