Monday, March 19, 2012

Temporary life

This morning, as I was getting in my office to start my day, I noticed I had a message from my wife. She teaches preschool, so she only contacts me if she has something really important to tell me. (OK, every once and a while She might leave a message just to tell me that she loves me, and those make my day.) The message I received today was basically, "Jason in my class whose dad has cancer came in and told me his daddy is going to heaven today. And it's true, they have called the family in. I can't handle this!"

When I finished the message, my heart skipped a beat. Then it fell into my stomach. I don't know Jason, but I do know that there is a four-year-old boy who will soon never see his father again on this earth. A hundred thoughts and questions filled my head. Sorrow for Jason, sorrow for his family, thankfulness for my good health, a prayer for those who are sick and hurting. I asked myself, "How do you explain to a young child that they will never be able to talk to or see their father again?" "What would I do if I were in that situation?" Then I thought about my own children, and how lucky I am to have my family.

Then I thought about the assurance we have in heaven, of a life infinitely better than this one that is to be had if we live this life for God and obey his commandments. To me, there is no greater comfort in death than this. Paul wrote in his second letter to the Christians in Corinth, "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." We have hope to be reunited with our loved ones after death, that death is temporary, and that victory comes only after death. I pray that I will teach my children to love God and obey his commandments so that we can all be in heaven together when our time on earth has ended.

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for sharing, bro. Great thoughts. We get busy with "stuff" too often and forget the importance of the gift of life. I pray we can glorify God with these temporary bodies, until we unite with him in eternal glory!

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