Hope of heaven

I was recently in a car accident. I’m okay! I’m recovering. I had a similar accident 22 years ago and what strikes me about both accidents is what I remember. This last accident I remembering seeing the car turn in front of me. I heard the crash before I felt it. I smelled the smoke from the air bags. I looked around noticing things. I noticed my shock. I sat there for quite awhile trying to process what had just happened. And then people began talking to me. It was a full sensory experience. I’m sure you can go back to a memory and do the same. I’m still processing what happened, but I’m grateful to be alive.

As I’m studying 1 John, I didn’t get too far when I noticed how John describes to his readers his encounter with Christ. He wanted them to know that this wasn’t a clever fable, but real. They could trust his experiences and history with Jesus.

“What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have observed and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life — that life was revealed, and we have seen it and we testify and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us — what we have seen and heard we also declare to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His son Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1: 1-3 HCSB

John says, believe! I have heard Christ. I have seen Christ. I have touched Christ. Now I am telling you, you can rely on our message. Our word is good. The WORD is alive. Or when Jesus tells us in Matthew 6 to look to the birds, flowers, grass to remind ourselves that God will provide the food and the clothing. He knows what we need. We can rely on his word.

I follow @1924us on Instagram and he draws animated skeletons, which sounds strange, but the depth of his insight and wisdom touches my heart. He recently animated what he thought heaven might be. His thought was he hoped it would be like getting home after a long car ride and your dad picking you up to carry you inside to your warm bed. As you are drifting back off to sleep, you are surrounded by the voices of your loved ones. The senses alive in this animation…the warm glow, the voices, being home, it’s a lovely picture.

I remember when I was little and we would get home late from somewhere, Tim and I would have been fast asleep, and my dad would pick us up, bring us inside. I also remember the day w”hen I was too tall! I had to walk in.

Dad has stopped eating. His body no longer needs the nourishment. He’s drinking a little, but it’s not much. My mom has given him the amazing gift of being home through this whole time. She works so hard to keep him safe, clean, and warm. A day is coming very soon when he will no longer be with us, but with his Savior. So, to finish this post, I wanted to include verses of heaven.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” John 14:1-4 NIV

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.” John 17:24 NIV

Eternity.. to be where Jesus is. To be truly home. One thing that has plagued my dad throughout this whole journey with dementia is his concern that he is not home. He needs to leave. He needs to get in the car to go home. We walk him though the pictures, the furniture, the people and gently try to help him know he is home, but he does not think he is home. He needs to go. And to think that when he closes his eyes here for the last time and opens them, he will truly be home, brings me peace. I know his heart will finally be at peace as well.

“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed–in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 1 Corinthians 15:51-55 NIV

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NIV

I’m going to need to do some more work on this. So, I’ll leave this for today. Be encouraged, my friend, this is not the end. The trials and tribulations of this life will not last forever. Yet, today and for many, many to come, I will grieve as one with hope, but I will grieve nonetheless.