Tag: eternity in Heaven

Within minutes of posting my last blog, I received word that my mother had passed away, quite suddenly and unexpectedly.  She was going about her routine of getting ready for bed when she just dropped dead.  It was quite a shock and hard for me as I was out of town at a conference.  I was able to get back home in less than 2 hours and join my family in the emergency room as we comforted one another and spent a final few minutes with Mom before her body was taken away.

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It was amazing how very evident it was that we were saying good bye to an empty shell.  It was her body, but Mom was not in it.  Her soul and all that made her Mom was gone.  Fortunately, we have the comfort of knowing that she is in Heaven with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Paul told the Corinthians that this earth is not our home. While we are on earth, we are away from the Lord and when we leave the earth, we go home to the Lord.  “So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight.  We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”  (2 Corinthians 5: 6-8)

About 50 years ago, my mother accepted Jesus’ free gift of the forgiveness of her sins. In the intervening years, she yearned for the day she would go the Heaven and be in Christ’s presence.  She is there now, and I have no doubt that Jesus is far more wonderful and glorious than we can image.  My mother lived her life to honor the One who saved her and set her free from the bondage of sin.  She took every opportunity to share His love and her faith with anyone who would listen.

It is hard to let her go.  I miss her far more than I imagined possible.  Every day there are things that I want to share with her.  Yet, I wouldn’t bring her back even if I could.  She is where she wants to be and where I will go someday.  She can say as Paul said, “I have fought the good fight.  I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”  (2 Timothy 4:7)

Good bye, Mom.  You will be missed and remembered every day of my life.  And following your example, I will honor Christ in all that I do and share His love with those He puts in my path.