A Wondrous Reunion Awaits
ELIZABETH LAING THOMPSON
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“For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:52b (NIV)
Sometimes when my mind falls quiet, the images return: the final hours with Dad. Sacred hours, both beautiful and devastating. Painful to remember, though I never want to forget.
In the months since, I’ve fought to rewind the memories back to when my father was alive. His face warm, those rosy cheeks the blessing or curse of the redhead, depending on his mood. The sound of his laugh, the feel of his hugs. How thankful I am to know I will see his face, hear that laugh, and feel those hugs again.
As believers, we have an astounding promise in Christ: Life is not over. This body is not our final form. Death is not the end.
If you are aching today, missing someone who has passed or feeling haunted by heartbreaking memories of their final days — their vibrance diminished, their body altered by injury, disease, or time — these words are for you. Scripture promises Christians a bodily resurrection and a wondrous reunion to come (Philippians 3:20-21; Romans 8:11). What hope we find in Paul’s words:
“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:51-53, NIV).
We may remember those final moments in our loved ones’ frail state on earth — yet those were not their final moments. Far from it! For believers, one day they will be raised and transformed, imperishable, given an eternal body that will never fade or fail.
Paul goes on in 1 Corinthians 15:54-57: “‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’ ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (NIV).
Jesus conquered death. We confidently anticipate eternal life with Him — and with all who have gone before us in the Lord. Paul also describes our glorious future reunion in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18:
“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words” (NIV).
Friends, let us encourage one another with these words, this truth. We will see our believing loved ones again, healthy and whole, restored and free. Our new bodies will never fail, our time will never run out, and our joy will never end.
Father, what a joy it will be to reunite with loved ones and live with You always. Come, Lord Jesus! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
OUR FAVORITE THINGS
Does Christmas ever feel like more pressure than peace? Between buying gifts, planning gatherings, and trying to create picture-perfect moments, it’s easy to end the season feeling exhausted instead of expectant. But joy isn’t tied to what’s under the tree — it’s rooted in the One who came to set us free. Our new Advent study, More Than a Manger, is designed to help you step away from the stress of the season and into the steadying presence of Jesus. Beginning November 30, join us in preparing room in our hearts for more of His peace.
ENGAGE
Elizabeth sends Bible studies and devotions to her newsletter friends, and she’d love to connect on Instagram or her website, where you can find out more about her books, including When God Says, “Wait.”
FOR DEEPER STUDY
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him” (NIV).
What do you most look forward to about reuniting with loved ones who have gone ahead of you to see the Lord? How does it comfort you to anticipate the beautiful reunion to come? Share your thoughts in the comments.
© 2025 by Elizabeth Laing Thompson. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org
Originally published Wednesday, 12 November 2025.
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