I love kids. Their perspectives are so sobering, especially when it comes to issues of faith and hope. My five-year-old daughter loves to talk about death, which might seem strange. But even that pensive topic becomes exciting because of her young and optimistic outlook.
Dianne Bright
Guest Author
Her plethora of questions about death, such as, "When I'm forty-seven, will you be dead?" or "When you are one-hundred-and-ten, will Grammy still be alive?" are ongoing. But her introspection always reminds me of the promise that we have in Jesus.
In my most gentle voice, I usually say, "Well, when you are that old, I will be really old..." or "... by then, Grammy will be in heaven with Jesus." AND THEN my daughter says, "Unless Jesus comes back first."
You see, she actually believes that He might come back during our lifetime. And why shouldn't she? No-one knows the day or time, remember? The Bible tells us that we should be ready at all times, but do we take that challenge seriously?
That truth means we are to live today as if He might actually come back today. Perhaps He will even return tomorrow on Christmas Day. So in light of these thoughts, let's cling to the things that truly matter, like our families and friends and their walk with the Lord.
Time certainly flies by like each passing breath, but let's not fear death. It has no sting, remember? Sickness will come into your life at some point just as the storms arrive to water the earth. But, let it strengthen you as you press into God's power.
Let go of old hurts as well; move on toward God's peace because He can't wait to see you face to face sometime very soon. In that moment, He will take away all of your pain. That means that you can forgive your trespassers today since His love for you is even greater than the hurt that they have caused.
So what would you do if Jesus came back today? Would you be ready to head off to heaven? Would you be done drinking your coffee, paying those bills, cleaning that tile, or wrapping all of those fun presents? You might have to leave that dish baking in the oven... you know... or that load of laundry turning in the washing machine.
Since today is Christmas Eve, let's take a few moments to sit with the Lord, Jesus. Let's rest in His arms and rejoice for what lies ahead: a heaven where there are no tears, no suffering, and a place where every wrong will be righted.
Slow down to hear from the Savior and take a minute to sing to Him. It is His birthday after all! Share your thoughts about heaven and hope. We'd love to hear from you! Merry Christmas! :)
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