Facing Eternity

"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience." ~Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

My Father-in-Law has been told he has anywhere from 2 months to 2 years to live. Stage 4 cancer in the lungs and liver, has struck yet another blow. The family is heart-broken, not looking forward to what he may have to face. He is such a trooper though, never complaining much about anything.

I'll never forget "the walk" we took many years ago, when the Lord asked me share His love with Denzil. I've always loved my Father-in-Law...never feeling an outcast by him; and that same love wanted the reassuring words to come from his mouth that he knew the same Lord & Saviour I did. Those were wonderful moments we shared. We returned to the house, my spirit happy within me, because he told me he would consider my words. "Where would you go, should you die today?" was my question. I shared Jesus with him...(he already knew and believed in Him). Difficult issues had caused a separation from the church. So, here we were, walking around his property, with Jesus loving on him, confirming His love for him. A few months later, as we walked through my in-laws front door, an announcement came from my Mother-in-law. With tears in her eyes she said, "I have a new husband." Denzil had rededicated his life and service to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Early this morning I was awakened with "facing eternity." Many thoughts came pouring into my mind. Hopefully I can get some of them out here, because I do think it will give a truer perspective on what we've always known as death.

Death is not an end of things...it is the beginning of things! We've "fought the good fight, have finished the course, have kept the faith; and now there is a crown of righteousness laid up for us in heaven, (to those who have loved His appearing)" ~2 Timothy 4:7-8. God never intended for us to set down stakes here. Our home is with Him. An old hymn declares this. "This world is not my home, I'm just a passing through..."

Gravity is said to hold us here, and yet it was by God's design this should be. But when it's time to go home, gravity won't be strong enough to maintain our spirit.  My Father-in-Law made a comment yesterday...after getting home from the doctor and hearing the outcome of the biopsy, he said, "Well, I don't guess I'll get to see the Cardinals play this year." A big Cardinals fan, this one!  How I wish I had been there to hear that comment. I would have most likely teared up, put my arms around his shoulders, and said, "Oh, Denzil...you will have a front row seat! You may even choose to stand beside the pitcher and encourage him as he throws the ball. Or beside the batter, as he bats the home run of the season." Why would I say such a thing??? Because he won't be bound by anything!  "But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory" ~2 Corinthians 15:54.

Some months ago, a close friend of mine, shared a dream with me. She had dreamed about my sister, Becky, that had gone on home to be with the Lord. Kasey was at a gathering of some sort, when she spotted me across the room. As she walked toward me, she saw Becky standing beside me, surprised, knowing Becky was "no longer with us." When she approached us, she asked Becky what she was doing there. I'll never forget the response. "I can be anywhere I choose to be, Kasey Lynn." Wow! And why not? The Spirit of God that gives us life, doesn't ever leave us. Is He bound by anything? So why would we be then...once we are loosed from this phenomenon that holds us here. Once we "break the surely bounds of earth & touch the face of God" (President Ronald Reagan), nothing can hold us down.

If you haven't read the book, Return from Tomorrow, you should read it today. Amazing accuracy that lines up with God's Holy Scriptures. At the age of twenty, George Ritchie apparently died in an army hospital and was pronounced dead twice by the doctor on duty. Nine minutes later he returned to life. Dr. Ritchie wrote of his near-death experience (NDE) in Return from Tomorrow, co-written with Elizabeth Sherrill (1978). In this book he tells of his out-of-body experience, his meeting with Jesus Christ, and his travel with Christ through different dimensions of time and space. Return from Tomorrow has been translated into nine languages!

Ritchie's story was the first contact Dr. Raymond Moody, PhD had with NDEs, during his undergraduate studies in philosophy at the University of Virginia. This led Moody to investigate over 150 cases of NDEs in his book Life After Life and two other books that followed.

My purpose in this morning's blog is to get our eyes on the truth about death. There is sorrow and mourning, but we that belong to God, need not fear death. As we near that mark, we can actually face it with excitement as we peer into the face of God. I have watched a few of my loved ones come near the boundaries of heaven and earth. Those that were able to speak, spoke with excitement at seeing those that had gone on before. "Death is nothing more than a doorway, something you walk through." ~Dr. George Ritchey

 Until I reach that final destination, here you will find me...in Mary's World.