Christmas in Heaven

Many years have passed since that Christmas week that forever changed me. I think of him often, but never more so than during the week of Christmas, and especially on December 23rd--the day he died. I go to his grave every year on that day; not to be near him, because only his earthly shell remains. I go to talk with the Lord and thank him again for the wonderful man that loved and raised me as his own, never gave up praying for my salvation, and who led me to Christ. I go to thank Him for His grace and His blessings. And I go because a small part of me hopes that just maybe the rapture might take place and he and I can make the trip together in glorified bodies. Time does not heal wounds. But God's grace does.

It's at this time of year I think of others I know who have lost their loved ones in recent years. If you've never lost anyone you dearly loved, you might not realize that as wonderful as Christmas and all those special times throughout the year are, those moments are bitter-sweet for some of us. Have patience with us, if at times we smile, holding back unshed tears. We are thinking of a different Country and a different gathering for just a moment.

For some of us, family reunions and holidays are never quite the same. (And if you live long enough, chances are you'll find yourself in a similar position.) Though we enjoy those moments and are thankful, we know our family circle or gathering of friends will not be complete until that great Reunion Day in a wonderful place called Heaven.

To those of you who understand what I am speaking of, especially if you have lost someone in recent years or perhaps even this year, may God's grace comfort your hearts. Though you rejoice in knowing their suffering is over, you miss them. You wish for one more hug, one more kiss, one last conversation, or to hear "I love you" just once more. But you know that once will never be enough. You sometimes long for the trump of God, and you're listening just a little more closely than before to hear, "Come up hither!"

I pray for God's grace to be present for you in a special way in the next few days as you remember your loved one spending Christmas in Heaven, and I remind you, keep looking up because there is a glad reunion day coming, and it won't be much longer!

"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory^? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." I Corinthians 15:51-58

God's Precious Things

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

Isaiah 55:8

 Awhile back, a dear sister in the Lord and I were talking about the need for revival. I said something to the effect of, "I'm not complaining about God's blessings to us, but it seems we've allowed ourselves to become so busy. Too busy for God and the moving of His Spirit. I'd hate for Him to have to remove our blessings as a nation and a church, but I sometimes wonder if that is what it will take to drive us to our knees seeking His presence." (And I was talking to myself as well, by the way.)

Her response? "Sometimes I think the things we see as blessings are really hindrances. I'd hate for my children and family and all of us to know the reality of what Christians in other countries experience, but could it be they are really the blessed ones?"

I thought for a moment, and knew she was on to something. Even if you barely know me, you probably know that I love Baptist history. One thing that has always blessed my heart about my dear Baptist brethren (and sisters!) is that whether in New Testament time, under Nero, in the Middles Ages under the Catholics and Protestants, In early Colonial America under the Standing Order, or in the Soviet Union under Communist rule; one thing I see constant: many of them stood boldly in the power of Christ. I admire them so much for that. I know it was God's grace they stood and still do. 

They saw God revive them and spread their movement. When others saw they had something worth suffering for, even dying for, they wanted to know what it was! Thus the Gospel was spread and revival fires burned.

I still say I hope that never comes to America (though I've long thought it would unless the rapture takes place first) but that's not my point in writing this. My conversation with my dear sister caused me to remember the verse I started with, and others like it. 

I am mortal being with a finite mind right now. That won't change for me until I pass from death unto life eternal and put off my corruptible flesh. Until I am in my glorified body, I look through a glass darkly. I don't always see things with eternity in view, but God does. I can't see the end from the beginning in any situation, but God does. I don't always understand, but I don't have to. God does. 

The Bible makes it clear: our ways and our thoughts can't compare to those of God. 

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Jeremiah 29:11

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

These are wonderful verses. They are verses that bring hope and comfort. Do you know when I find myself turning to these verses the most? When I'm in the midst of a trial. When I'm in the storm and can't see that end from the beginning; when I'm in a fiery furnace; when I don't know what God is doing; when His ways don't make sense to me, THAT is when I cling to those verses and others like them.

Those verses sound so cheery, so peaceful, so hopeful. Yet often we must face a fiery trial or raging storm before "all things work together" for an "expected end." To my limited understanding that doesn't make sense at first. 

But God's ways are not my ways and His thoughts are not my thoughts. 

There are many things the Scriptures say are precious to God. The shed blood of Christ (I Peter 1:18,19), The Word of God (I Samuel 3:1), the redemption of a soul (Psalm 49:8b), His thoughts of us (Psalm 139:17), and I could on. However, there are a few things that are precious to God that don't readily make sense, at least not on the surface.

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: I Peter 1:7

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. Psalm 116:15

He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. Psalm 126:6

 The first verse I mentioned says our trials are precious. The second says our death is precious, and the third says in bearing precious seed we must weep before we can rejoice. It doesn't seem logical at first, but as I read that first one, that talks about how gold that will perish is tried with fire, it makes more sense. 

Silver and gold are precious commodities today. Our money used to be based on them, our jewelry is made from them, monuments have sometimes been made with them. To us, gold and silver are precious things. The gold must be purified in the fire and silver must have it's dross purged. Even diamonds and rubies and rare stones that to us are precious, are made under pressure and must be cut and chiseled before they can be a thing of beauty. And yet, they perish. One day God will melt the earth with heat so fervent that all of it will be burnt up. 

Well, if He said our soul's redemption was precious (Psalm 49:8b) enough that Christ would shed His precious blood (I Peter 1:18,19), then are we not of more value to God than corruptible things? And if corruptible things must go through pressure, fire, cutting, and molding, then how much more so must we? 

I admit, I have a hard time wrapping my mind around that when I'm in the midst of a trial. That process isn't very pleasant to me at the time; and my human response is to run from it, or at the very least, squirm under it. 

It's true that God has some precious things that I can't always readily understand, but that's alright. His ways and thoughts are superior to mine. I'm glad for that. I'm not interested in a god I can understand and figure out. If I, in my limited intelligence--I who so often fail and sin--could figure out God, then I'd be in a world of trouble! I need a God who sees beyond what I can see. I need a God who thinks higher than me. I need a God who has ways I can't figure out. I don't have to understand...BECAUSE HE DOES and He holds me in the palm of His hand. And if you are saved, he holds you as well, and WE are PRECIOUS to Him!