On Sunday morning, as I was getting ready for church out of my mouth I started singing, “good things ahead, good things ahead…good, good things are coming.” God tends to give me song lyrics at strange times, driving, showering, painting my nails, and today it was putting on my makeup. I suddenly found myself overwhelmed with the thought of meeting Jesus face to face. To be in a place where my soul longs for, a place I call home. I wrote down more lyrics in my phone feeling the Holy Spirit reminding me that all this is worth it for the glory that is to come!
After we arrived a few minutes late to church (my fault) we found our seats and worshiped, singing “There’ll be a day my hope complete, Now home in glory Your face I’ll see. My pain no more, my fear will cease. I bow my life I fix my eyes On Christ my King.” Then Pastor Paul started preaching and said, “what happens when we die?” His entire sermon was about Eternity, our Eternal Home in Heaven, and how we get there. I looked at my husband, Dan wide eyed and showed Him what I had written just a few hours before.
I do not have some strange feeling that this is it for me on earth, my days are done. Ha! What I do believe is God is stirring us to have a perspective change, a BIG perspective change. In those moments in my bathroom this morning, I did not have a single worry in the world, because I knew that all that mattered was, God and that I get to be with Him for ever and ever and that just brings tears to my eyes. It also does something else as we switch perspectives, it makes the task of telling others about Him so easy. This place we just pass through is an opportunity to tell people about The King of Kings, Jehovah our God. A place to speak His name boldly, for we have nothing to lose, but for another everything to gain. I am so excited to get to where I am going, but also excited to stay if it means one more gets to join me at the pearly gates.
Death is inevitable, and sometimes people do not want to talk about it, and yet Paul said, “to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21-24). I love my life on earth, my husband, my children, our 5 acres in the Big Sky. I love my family, friends, flowers make me smile, people make me smile more and coffee is just so amazing! I am thankful for our days here and know that there is a plan and a purpose in them yet, I am okay longing for more, because I know there is more. There is so much more than this wee little time on this big blue and green planet. God knows our days, as they are numbered. Some get many, some get less, the most important part is that you know where you are going with the understanding that death will happen. You can’t run from it, you can’t hide from it, but you can be ready for it! Oh, and the glory that awaits those who believe that God is who He says He is. And the peace and hope we can hang onto that God has gone to prepare a place for all who believe and there will be no pain, crying, sickness or death, for that He conquered.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
Today, I ask you readers, “Do you know where you are going when you die?” If not, please reach out to me or another believer. For those that know where you are going, but have been feeling a little weary, and a little tired, think about your Home that your soul longs for. Think about falling at the feet of Jesus for the very first time. Rejoice in the Hope that we carry, and rest in the peace that we know who and whose we are. Think upon the things that are supernatural and take your eyes off the things that are natural. For what is natural is temporary, but what is supernatural is eternal.
For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore, we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:1-6 (This was the Scripture content Pastor Paul used for His sermon on Sunday.)
Emily Rodewald 