"Death's Forbearance"

"He asked life of Thee, and Thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever." (Psalms 21:4) There is hardly any doubt that David is sure of his salvation in the Lord; as a matter of fact, I believe that he was as sure, if not more so, that he had been given eternal life, than when he had known God would deliver that giant into his hand many years prior. What do you think about death? or have you even given it much thought? As far as I am concerned, death is just the beginning of everlasting life; whenever that might begin, it really does not matter, because we will never know the difference; it will be lights out, then the Light will come on, plain and simple! Don't ask me how this will come about, because it is really not for us to know every little detail of God's existence; but this much I do know, if Jesus said we will have eternal life, then I will take Him at His word; after all, He did conquer death and ascended up into heaven, so I figure that He pretty much knows what He is talking about. But I still like to speculate how it will come about, and I have also given it much thought, especially the part about being immediately in the presence of the Lord, even though the Scriptures are fairly clear that we shall all rise together. I really don't think that my mom is already up in heaven and waiting for me to join her; although she does not know this to be so; but in God's kingdom, everything is eternal, which means that when we die, we go from this life of time related matter, and into the glorious life where time no longer matters! It's that whole thing with time that really trips everyone up on the moment we shall be in the presence of the Lord; because as far as my mother is concerned, she is there right now, but as far as she is concerned, so am I; kinda freaky, isn't it? That which Jesus said about "the first shall be last, and the last shall be first", just might have been speaking about how there is no time related sequence of events in God's kingdom of life eternal; and the only thing that truly sets the clock is the death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ Jesus. Prior to that, all who died had to wait; some being comforted, and some being tormented; but everyone had to wait for Jesus to show up, minister onto them about His victory on the cross, bid then a short farewell as He stepped back into life, and then ascend into heaven, where those that were saved soon followed... But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as other which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17)