Heaven
I don’t know if you’ve ever had a conversation with someone whose death is imminent; I have and it was a precious time full of emotion – grief and joy. I was sitting beside my Dad’s bed on Easter Day; he was towards the end of a long battle with prostrate cancer. He suddenly said “that’s it, I want to go now”. I looked at him with an instant awareness that my Dad was saying he wanted to leave this life. If that was it, it would have been a grief-ridden hopeless moment, but amazingly it was one of the moments I’ve been most aware of the concrete reality of heaven. He continued to talk about how earth was fading away and heaven was growing stronger every day. As the conversation continued, he talked of his desire to be free of the pain and indignity of terminal illness, but even that was overshadowed by the conviction that his future was safe in the hands of Jesus. He quoted 1 Corinthians 15:19-20: “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead…”. Strange as it may seem I left that bedside encouraged and strengthened. As I drove home there was the knowledge that I wouldn’t see my Dad on this earth too many more times but it was tempered by an overwhelming desire to worship Jesus the Saviour, the one who soon would welcoming my Dad into heaven.
3 Responses to "Heaven"
Andrew! Thank you for that post. Whilst in Mexico I experienced something similar, although very different because it was not my Dad that died. A lady called Julita who many were friends was dying and died in our presence one morning. Even though she wasn’t family to me and I was not close to her I shared some of the same thoughts as you have. You might like to read a snippet of the email I sent home to people that week:
“Since it was Easter last Sunday we watched The Passion Of The Christ at El Refugio bible study on Tuesday evening. I have previously only seen it once and again it was deeply moving to see a re-enactment of the last moments of Jesus again. His obedience to God’s will as he won salvation through his death and resurrection never ceases to speak to me. Among the 30 people there was Julita, the lady dying of cancer I have previously written about. She was incredibly frail and thin, I have never seen someone in such poor a condition. She had been released from the hospital to spend here last few days at El Refugio in the love and comfort of those living there. The hospitals here lack the care and support needed for someone in her condition so El Refugio was acting as a hospice. I stayed the night at the Jones’ again and the next morning we headed back to El Refugio after hearing news that Julita was close to death. Within a few hours of arriving Julita slipped away in bed to be with our Lord in heaven. About 20 people including Mando’s family were present in her room while she breathed her last and dyed. The atmosphere was incredibly heavy, sad but happy, strange yet special. The reality of death became so real to me. Yet one thing that was eye opening was that there was no sting in her death, she had no fear, no regret, no panic and courageously moved into eternity as her acceptance and relationship with Jesus assured her of everlasting life. What an encouragement for us. For me it hit home the reality of the Passion Of The Christ, death is no more for Jesus has given us victory over it if we believe. I thought a lot about things that evening, it really affected me and I pondered the events lots.”
Thanks for the encouragement. See you in a couple weeks. Dan
I found this very moving Andrew. we find so hard to talk about death, for it brings up pain and grieve for that person who has died. Its encouraging that thought christ we can actually celebrate it. How your fathers love for christ overcame death.
I was listening to your talks on collosians from the cu weekend. Been an enjoyable afternoon
Listening but also trying to make sense of it. Iv been asked to do a talk for our young people on worship. Something iv been tackling in my head, but worship does start with our love in christ. Nothing more than that.
Thank you
Thanks Neil.