I recently came across a Facebook post of a friend’s remembrance of the day a precious family member died. The caption read, “Happy Heaven Day.” It just so happens today is my grandmother’s heaven day. I thought I was being clever when we started remembering our baptism days in addition to our birthdays and anniversaries, but I’ve been humbly bested by this ‘Happy Heaven Day” concept.
Worldly people often mourn the loss of human life, especially a young human life, because they believe it is the end; no spirit, no soul, no eternal consequence, no existence at all, just “The End.” This concept demonstrates the power of death over these frail bodies made of water and dust.
But Paul reminded believers in 1 Corinthians 15, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” Paul explained his reasoning for his contempt for death’s power: ‘The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ So we are justified for celebrating a Christian’s “Happy Heaven Day,” when a believer gives up this earthly body and returns to the Creator to kneel at the feet of Jesus and wait to hear the words so often longed for, “Well done, my good and faithful servant! Come into my rest.” Of course, there are many who expect to hear those words who will instead hear, “Get out, you evil doer. I do not know you.”
So we need to practice what Jesus commands; love the Lord with all our being, and love each other. We must fill each and every day to the brim with goodness, kindness, self-control, and love. And just in case I neglected to mention it today, “God loves you!”
Grace & Peace, Charles.