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Can you recall when you were young and you would lie on the grass looking up to the sky?

You looked at the clouds and wondered what you could see in those clouds.

Could you see a bear?

Could you see a lion? Just what was it that those clouds were trying to show you?

I can recall being amazed at the motion of the clouds against the backdrop of the beautiful blue skies of Bermuda.

It was simply beautiful, as the clouds gently cascaded across the open skies, seemingly minding their own business, and demonstrating constant change.

Clouds really can tell a story. Indeed recently we experienced, or were made aware of, the effects of clouds as all flights over the United Kingdom were hampered and hindered because of the cloud coverage.

A volcanic ash cloud from Iceland drifted across northern Europe. The airports were shut down for days as it was feared that the clouds could jam the engines of planes.

As I thought on that experience, what came to my mind was the power of a cloud and how the activity of a cloud of ash caught the attention of the entire world, all at one time.

The Bible speaks of a couple of cloudy moments that capture my attention.

(Acts 1:11 KJV) Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

As Jesus was lifted up into the heavens by a cloud, all eyes were on that cloud-lift. That moment caught the attention of everyone. The verse speaks of a promise of another cloudy-time to come - the cloud that will return Jesus Christ to the earth.

(Rev 1:7 KJV) Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

The Bible informs us that there will be another time that will captivate the entire world. All eyes will see the cloud. Not only will the United Kingdom, the United States, and Europe see this cloud, but every nation of this present world will also witness the cloud. Not one soul will escape the effects of this cloud.

Indeed air traffic, ground traffic, and marine traffic will be affected. The question and challenge is how will the cloud returning Jesus Christ to the earth affect you? Will you be caught up to meet Him in the air? Or will you be caught out?

News reports say that the volcano Eyjafjallajokull was silent for almost 200 years before it erupted on March 20.

This proves that there is no guarantee that silence means a thing is dead and will never be seen again.

Hence, during these current years, as our Saviour is absent from the earth and present with the Father, we can be assured that in time to come He will break the silence and appear before all of mankind.

What kind of greeting will Jesus receive from you? Will you be ready? Or will you be running from the cloud? Don't be caught out. Make your calling and election sure today. Jesus will return on a cloud and all eyes will behold Him.

Every news station will broadcast Jesus' appearance and the disappearance of Christians.

Will you be reading and hearing about the disappearances? Or will they be reading and hearing that you too have disappeared? Respice finem.

Dr. Maria A. Seaman is the Pastor of Shekinah Worship Centre, located at 98 North Shore Road, Hamilton Parish CR 01.

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