The world feels different now. There is a heaviness in the air, a sense that something is shifting beneath our feet. Everywhere we look, there is unrest, confusion, division, and a growing loss of moral clarity. I don’t say this as a commentator on headlines, but simply as a believer watching the times with a prayerful heart. Jesus Himself told us that a season would come when these things would intensify, when the world would look much as it does now. He said, “When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” Luke 21:28.
Jesus never intended for His followers to live in darkness about the times. He lovingly warned us to watch, to discern, and to stay spiritually awake. In Matthew, He spoke of deception, wars, rumors of wars, lawlessness, and hearts growing cold, and then said, “All these are the beginning of sorrows” Matthew 24:8. These words were not given to terrify us, but to prepare us. Like a loving Father, He wanted His children to recognize the season they were living in so they would not be caught off guard, but would be anchored in truth and hope.
And yet, as I reflect on these things, my heart is not filled with excitement alone, but also with a deep, quiet sorrow. Sorrow for those who do not yet know Him. Sorrow at the thought of anyone being left behind to face what Scripture describes as a time of suffering beyond anything the world has ever known. Jesus wept over Jerusalem because they did not recognize the time of their visitation, Luke 19:41–44, and in that same spirit, I write not to warn with cold doctrine, but with compassion. This is not about predicting dates or analyzing the news; it is about love, urgency, and the longing to miss nothing of what God has so graciously prepared for those who believe.
It’s easy, sometimes, to feel small or unnoticed in a world that moves so quickly. Many believers wonder whether their lives hold real significance and whether God truly sees their hearts. Yet Scripture gives us a breathtaking answer. It tells us that every Christian is deeply cherished, intentionally chosen, and part of a story that began in the heart of God long before we ever took our first breath.
As believers, we are not isolated followers wandering through life on our own; we are part of something far greater than ourselves. We belong to a living body, a people lovingly set apart for God’s glory. When the Lord looks at us, He does not see a scattered group trying to find our way, but His chosen ones, intentionally woven together with purpose, unity, and love. Each life matters, each heart is known, and each believer is placed exactly where they are meant to be within His divine design. Scripture reminds us of who we are: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people…” 1 Peter 2:9. And again, “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular” 1 Corinthians 12:27.
There is something beautiful in knowing that God not only saved us but intentionally placed us into His family, giving each of us a place, a calling, and a belonging that the world can never take away. It is the kind of belonging that does not fade with time or circumstance, a belonging rooted in His promise, sustained by His grace, and sealed by His everlasting love. We are no longer wanderers or orphans, but sons and daughters, chosen and kept by Him, held securely in promises that cannot fail.
Then Scripture takes us even deeper into the mystery of our identity. It tells us that the Church is not merely a body… she is His Bride. Christ loves His Bride with a love beyond human measure, a love that compelled Him to lay down His life willingly. Ephesians describes this love with stunning clarity, showing Jesus as the One who sacrificed Himself so that His Bride could be holy, radiant, and blameless before Him. He sees us as beloved, treasured, and worth the highest price, a price He paid in full on the Cross.
Revelation invites us to rejoice because “the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready” Revelation 19:7. This isn’t a far-fetched theological idea; it is a declaration of how deeply Christ values His people. Our story is a love story authored by God Himself from the beginning of time.
When we understand that we are loved like this and it’s not conditional, not temporary, but eternal, our lives begin to change. We stop trying to earn what has already been freely given. We learn to rest in His love, to grow in holiness.
Christ intercedes for us even now, standing before the Father on our behalf, praying for us and covering us with His righteousness, as Scripture tells us in Romans 8:34. He is also preparing a place for us, personally and lovingly, promising that He will come again and receive us unto Himself, so that where He is, we may be also, as written in John 14:3. And until that glorious day, our lives are hidden with Christ in God, safely kept in Him, waiting for the moment when He appears and we appear with Him in glory, according to Colossians 3:3–4.
And here is where the message becomes even more intimate and deeply personal: Jesus will come for His Bride before the time of wrath falls upon the earth. Some who do not hold to the Pre-Tribulation Rapture refer to this hope as “escape theology,” as though it were merely a desire to avoid suffering. But this is not about escape at all; it is about love. It is about the nature of Christ Himself. It is about a Bridegroom who knows His Bride, cherishes His Bride, and refuses to leave her in a time of judgment that was never intended for her.
Scripture does not portray Jesus as a distant Savior who rescues at the last moment, but as a faithful Groom who actively comes for what belongs to Him. A loving groom does not wait while his bride is subjected to harm; he goes to her, covers her, and brings her safely home. In the same way, Christ’s return for His Church flows from His covenant love, not from our desire for comfort. The wrath of God is directed toward unbelief, rebellion, and the rejection of truth, not toward those who have been redeemed, justified, and washed in the blood of the Lamb.
The Pre-Tribulation hope is not rooted in avoiding hardship, but in understanding the heart of God. It reflects the consistency of His character throughout Scripture: judgment and mercy are never poured out on the same object at the same time. We were not appointed unto wrath, but unto salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. The Bride is not destined for the hour of judgment; she is destined for union. This is not an escape plan; it is a love story reaching its appointed hour, when the Groom comes to gather His beloved and take her to the place He has prepared for her.
Ask yourself: Would a groom allow his bride to be abused? No loving bridegroom would stand by and let harm come to the woman he cherishes. Christ is the perfect Bridegroom—protective, faithful, tender, and devoted.
Consider this: Would a Father harm the one His Son loves? The Father’s heart is united with the Son’s. He will not pour out judgment on those His Son has redeemed at so great a cost.
The Scripture reassures us with His promises: “I will come again, and receive you unto Myself” John 14:3. “We… shall be caught up… to meet the Lord in the air” 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17. Jesus Himself promises to keep His faithful ones “from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world” Revelation 3:10.
If you are in Christ, you are not just a forgiven sinner trying to survive until the end. You are the Bride of Christ. You are fully known, fully loved, fully purchased, and forever His. Let that truth settle into the quiet places of your heart, the places where fear tries to speak louder than faith. You are not held by uncertainty; He holds you.
This saving grace was never an afterthought, never a last-minute plan hastily made in response to our need. From the beginning, Heavenly Father knew that His children would need to be rescued, and with tender wisdom, He wove a way of salvation into the fabric of creation itself. Every step of history, every heartbeat of your life, is encompassed by His care, each moment of preparation pointing toward the day when His Bride would be safely gathered into His arms. You can rest securely in the truth that He will come for you simply because you belong to Him. God has never forgotten you; His plan has always been about you, written with love before time began, and He will never fail you.
My Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of salvation and for the indescribable love You have shown through Jesus. Thank You that we are part of His Church, part of His Bride, cherished beyond measure. Help us understand the fullness of this truth. Calm our fears as we rest in Your promise that Jesus is preparing a place for us and will come again to gather His own. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Jesus ~ Amazing Grace! 