The information no pastor needs to obtain got here by cellphone one December morning over a decade in the past. My spouse and I had simply left house to journey two hours to her household’s Christmas gathering. Certainly one of our church’s school college students misplaced his life in a single automotive accident on his method house from work. This sharp younger man, beforehand a trustworthy participant in our pupil ministry, had an awesome future forward. And immediately, he was gone.
We had been nonetheless within the space, so we circled and drove instantly to our church members’ house to minister nevertheless we may.
Fortunately, he knew Jesus, and the minute he left us, he discovered himself “current with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). The Psalmist declares that the believer’s dying is treasured to the Lord. Psalm 116:15 reads, “Valuable within the sight of the Lord is the dying of His saints.” Why is the believer’s dying treasured within the sight of the Lord? Listed here are ten causes:
First, dying relieves struggling and ache encountered on this life. What number of instances have we seen somebody, as they battle illness, endure. What number of instances have we prayed, or heard somebody pray, “Lord, please take my cherished one house. Please take her or him away from this struggling.” As John declares in Revelation 21:4, concerning his imaginative and prescient of heaven, “No extra ache.”
Second, dying removes temptation and evil. We not must cope with Devil’s snares and the temptations he locations within the believer’s life to journey us up and trigger us to stumble. There’s no temptation in heaven.
Third, dying ends the believer’s wrestle with sin. Heaven is an ideal place. There’s no sin in heaven.
Fourth, the believer is not uncovered to the evil discovered on this fallen world. No crime in heaven. No drunk drivers or automotive accidents in heaven. No dishonesty or meanness in heaven. Once more, heaven is an ideal place.
Fifth, no separation exists in heaven (Rev. 21:1). In John’s imaginative and prescient, he photos no extra sea. “Sea” symbolizes separation. Joyful reunions happen with those that have already arrived in heaven.
Sixth, believers not expertise disappointment and grief (Revelation 21:4). God created us with the capability to like, and the grief we possess once we lose a cherished one is the pure value we pay for loving so deeply.
Once we get to heaven, we depart behind loss and sorrow.
Seventh, we depart behind this life’s trials and tribulations. Jesus mentioned, “On the earth you WILL have tribulation, however be of fine cheer, I’ve overcome the world” (John 16:33). Jesus provides us the energy to beat and persevere by storms on this life, however, fortunately, no storms happen in heaven. No tragedies. No stress. No payments to pay in heaven. No monetary worries.
Eighth, we instantly step into the presence of Jesus. What a joyful second that will likely be to see Jesus nose to nose. “Nose to nose with Christ my Savior,” we’ve usually sung. Are you able to think about lastly standing earlier than Jesus?
Ninth, we obtain our heavenly reward. The New Testomony speaks of 5 crowns that could be given when the believer receives his or her heavenly reward. What an incredible pleasure to listen to our Savior pronounce, “Nicely achieved, my good and trustworthy servant.”
Tenth, we instantly occupy the place Jesus prepares. Jesus guarantees us He’ll put together a spot for us. In John 14:3, Jesus mentioned, “And if (when) I am going and put together a spot for you, I’ll come once more and obtain you to myself, that the place I’m, there chances are you’ll be additionally.” Jesus refers to a dwelling place. Once we obtain Jesus as Savior, Jesus prepares a everlasting dwelling place in our everlasting house.
When Pastor Vance Havner’s spouse died, some well-meaning individual got here as much as the previous preacher and mentioned, “I’m sorry you misplaced your spouse.”
Havner rapidly replied, “I didn’t lose my spouse. I do know precisely the place she is.”
Jesus prepares a spot for ready individuals. I’m grateful our pupil knew precisely the place he’d spend eternity. Ultimately, our second will come, additionally. Till then, we should make sure we’re going to heaven and make every day rely by dwelling for Jesus and pointing individuals to our Savior.
David L. Chancey lives in Fayetteville, Ga, and serves as transitional pastor at Griffin Church, Griffin, Ga. He loves to evangelise, write, and spend time with household. See extra of his writings, together with his books, at www.davidchaney.com.
