The Kingdom Glow

Depending on who you ask, they may consider me deranged or fanatical about the idea, but I often think about the people I love passing away. I understand it’s not a matter most would like to reflect on. However, it is inevitable. At that time it occurs, my heavenly Father will prepare me. Understand me, I am not saying that I will not be utterly sorrowful, but my consolation from the Holy Spirit will be, “These things must happen.”

I’ve thought about my last words to my loved ones if I ever got to speak the final word to them on their deathbeds. Death is scary, and I thank God for giving me this much wisdom. Many are not graced with such knowledge, so it is expected to fear the unknown in death. Rest with ease, I will say. Once you awaken, walk through the gates of heaven, and after we meet with our Father first, I will seek you. We will meet again, and the promise that will be fulfilled will be my portion of comfort.

‭[12] Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God

John 1:12 NIV

I say this with pain that not everyone will walk through the gates. Our purpose on this perishing earth is to bring as many souls to abundant life, Christ, as possible. We will only see those who accept the gift of Christ. Eternal life is better than any gift in our temporary and fleeting home.

‭‭[32] A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” [33]  “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. [34] Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! [35] Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Mark 3:32-35 NIV

‭‭[25] When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. [26] Now about the dead rising—have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? [27] He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”

Mark 12:25-27 NIV

Our sisters, brothers, and mothers do the will of God. In the spirit and the body of Christ, we are brethren, a King James term. Fathers and mothers of the gospel teach the spiritual children the ways of the Lord. After we pass away and our bodies return to dust, we will be angels. Due to our saved souls, given eternal life, not soul death, in the kingdom of Heaven. On my drive home this afternoon, I couldn’t help but ponder more on this, then revelation hit me. After we return home, they are no longer my mother, or my father, or my spouse, or my daughter, or my son because we are all God’s children; he creates our souls.

Take comfort and know that if God is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, He, too, is the God of your loved one who has finally gone home. I understand that it pains you that your grandmother was taken away. It hurts that your blood sister was taken away. It hurts that your father went to sleep too early. Your spouse was gone before you could say I love you one last time. I do not want to belittle your pain. Find comfort and trust that they are resting. Have hope as believers. When you see them in heaven, you will rejoice and embrace one another over the goodness and faithfulness of God. No longer bound together by a title but as worshipers unto Christ and the Father. You will joyfully tell your earthly mother and grandmother, “Sister, we made it!” You will shout to your earthly father and grandfather, “Brother, God kept us!”
“Every one of the Lord’s promises were fulfilled! God is good!”

As Christ’s followers, we have confidence in knowing the end of the story. As a sister of love spreading comfort to you, do not weep or mourn. It is not goodbye, but merely “See you later, my sister/brother.”

‭‭[13] Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. [14] For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. [15] According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. [16] For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. [17] After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. [18] Therefore encourage one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NIV

*Grammatical errors may occur