Left Behind?

So it is now just past 6 pm CDT and it would appear that:
     1 the rapture didn't happen
or 2 it happened and nobody in my world got to go.

I think that rapture is an odd word to use for the day that Jesus comes to claim His followers. It's not actually found in the Bible and I'm not sure where and when it was first used to describe the event of rescuing His followers from the impending tribulation (at least for all of you pre-trib rapture believers).

The reason that I think it's an odd word to use (and I don't really like it) is that it comes from the same root as our word for rape and originally meant to be taken or carried away by force.

When Jesus comes for those He has called, I am not going to have to be taken by force.  I'm a willing volunteer when it comes to following Jesus to heaven.  In fact, I may be crowding and pushing my way to the front of the line (assuming a celestial line is in order).  It' s a little difficult for me to set aside a lifetime of time/space dimensions and try to imagine life without such markers or boundaries.

I have to say that I'm a little surprised by some of the reaction (or over reaction) to the ridiculous claim that somebody knew the day and hour.  Hopefully, there weren't too many Christians in that group.  Having said that; from the cons and the conned, it is obvious that there are many that believe in an afterlife (of heaven and hell), but know little of how they might enter into it.

If you're one of those that thinks that there is life for our souls beyond our pilgrimage on earth, I would encourage you to try to figure things out.  If you read my survey, you may have already started to wonder about what lies beyond this life--or you may have your own ideas of what's next.  In either case, eternity is not something to be taken lightly or to procrastinate about getting settled.  I'd be happy to share my thoughts/beliefs with you.

Respond to the survey. I'm interested to know what people are thinking.  Some of you have already submitted comments and responses; some on Facebook (by comment or private message), and others in the comment section of the blog post.  Facebook comments can be read, messages or comments here will only be posted with your permission.

So tell me, if the rapture would have happened this afternoon and you find yourself still here...what would you be doing now?  Wondering what happened? Laughing at the fools that think it was a spiritual event that took a relatively small portion of the population?  Looting from the departed?  Mourning that you were left behind?

Or just maybe you would be getting serious about studying the prophesies concerning the end times to prepare yourself for the coming days.

Perhaps this bogus claim of the rapture happening today isn't a complete waste of time.  Perhaps it cause a few to take a spiritual inventory.  That would be a good thing.

On the other hand, if it is nothing more than a joke or way to make fun of the prophesies and pile more skepticism on the beliefs of Christians--well then, it caused great harm to those whose unbelief became more solid, whose hearts became more cold towards the God that will one day judge the living and the dead.

Still waiting...

John <><