Goin' Home

Tomorrow our church will bury the fourth of our members in as many weeks. Families are in pain over their loss, but most are grateful to know that their loved ones have 'gone home' to their Lord. Knowing that tends to lessen the pain and suffering of death to this life on earth.

As Christians, we have the blessed Hope that we will spend Eternity with Jesus. Noone seems to want to die, but we know that when God calls us, we will have no choice but to answer. Isn't that an odd way of thinking? We don't want to die, but why not, when we know that we will forever be face to face with the one who loves us more than any earthly soul? We don't want to trade the life we know or those who remain here for what we believe our future Home to be.

I can relate to those feelings. I had a scare in 1995 when I had no idea whether I would live to see another year. It saddened me to think I might have limited time left. Looking back on that,

I know that it is a natural way to feel in a time like that. However, the spiritual part of me knew that what waits beyond what I can see will be far better.

I guess that we are all a little afraid of what we cannot see. Our future, no matter how we plan, is never quite the same as we'd laid out in our minds. If we could plan the time we'd leave our families to go home to Jesus, I'm not sure we'd ever make an appointment. Maybe that's why God holds the hourglass, and not we, ourselves. It's better the way God has planned it, I think.

And so, being human, we have those human feelings to deal with. Being also spiritual, we have beliefs and hopes in the Lord that are strong enough to know that Goin' Home will be the most wonderful journey to a more wonderful place, and that gives us the strength to weather the trials, the fears and the sorrows that come in this life. We should rejoice in knowing that our loved ones have gone on and will be waiting for us at Heaven's gates. Even more, we are at peace, knowing that the face of God, which has been hidden from view throughout our earthly walk, will be revealed, shining brilliantly before us, welcoming us into the Almighty's Kingdom.

What a day, glorious day that will be!