Reflections on Heaven

Heaven has been on my mind a lot lately.  As I sit here typing, I am surrounded by the sounds of my mother-in-law's gentle snoring and this song playing on Abiding Radio:

"Just think of stepping on shore and finding it heaven,

Of touching a hand and finding it God's.

Of breathing new air and finding it celestial

Of waking up in Glory and finding it Home."

Why has it been on my mind so much?  Because very soon my dear one will be doing just as the words in this song say.  It's been more than 2 months since she had the stroke that we thought would take her Home.  When that didn't happen, we worked to help her regain as much function as possible.  The skilled nursing facility wasn't for her and she was taken home after little more than a week.  Despite trying, she just hasn't been able to get stronger.  Her body is growing weaker and communication is getting more difficult.  Her once strong heart now beats so rapidly that it will not be able to hold out much longer.  I've cried.  A little piece of my heart has broken wide open.  I understand that I will soon lose a dear friend.

And yet there is hope!

No, not as many would think of hope.  I know she will not live much longer.  I would not wish that for her.  You see, she will be where her treasure is - Heaven.  There is so much more waiting for her than what we have to offer here on earth.  She will see her Lord face to face and she will not be alone as she has for the last year.

There is so much about Heaven that we can't know or understand.  Yet, there are a few things that God had chosen to let us know:

God will be there

There will be no sickness or pain

There is no night

There is joy in Heaven when a believer is called home

There is no sin - all is perfect

There is no end to Heaven - It is forever (which is something my finite mind can't grasp)

In the last couple of years, so many heroes have joined my Lord in Heaven that I can't help but speculate a little bit about things.  For instance, can you imagine how much sweeter the choir is sounding now that Dad Parish, Dr. Shuler, and George Beverly Shea have joined in?  How about the new piano player that joined in recently when Mrs. Shuler went Home?

However, I can't ever forget that little part that there will be no sin in Heaven.  I recently heard the testimony of someone who truly understood what sin was when she looked at herself in the light of the Ten Commandments.  Ouch!  I know that I have sinned against every single one of those and if you're honest with yourself, you will realize that you have too.  Because God is just, that would leave me in a pretty sad place and deserving of eternal hell...

BUT

My God loved me so much that He sent his Son Jesus to pay the price in full for my sin.  WOW!  That kind of love is beyond our human reasoning.  Since Jesus paid the price, all I need to do is acknowledge I'm a sinner, accept Jesus' payment for my sin, and believe that He fully paid the price.  Yes, He paid the price because I'm not good enough to pay it myself.  What an awesome gift!  This fills me with the expectancy that though I will soon part from my dear one, I will see her again.  I will see her and we will worship at the feet of our Lord together.

How about you?  Do you have the same expectancy?  Are you confident that you will spend eternity with God or do you fear the uncertainty of death?  My prayer is that you will know God personally and that you are confident that you will be with Him forever.