WHEN WE ALL GET HOME

WHEN WE ALL GET HOME!

This past week has been a week of laughter and tears.  There has also been pain this week and discouragement, and sometimes the road gets narrow, rocks along our path and stormy days, but in the midst of days and weeks such as this God brings such joy!  And in the midst of that joy He brings a taste of heavenly joy to come.

“But now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face.  Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known” I Corinthians 13:12.

Yes, when we think of heaven and seeing our Lord face to face, it is like a dim mirror, just a glimmer of the hope that awaits us just around the bend.  But someday, the Word promises we will know our loved over there and they will know us, and oh, the reunions that are going to take place!  Our minds can only try to imagine what that day will be like.  And for many of us that could be soon or down the road.  This day could be the day when we meet Him in the skies.  We are so looking and longing for that day

WHAT A DAY THAT WILL BE

“There is coming a day when no heartaches shall come, no more clouds in the sky, no more tears to dim the eye; all is peace forevermore on that happy golden shore, what a day glorious day that will be.

CHORUS:  What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see, and I look upon His face, the One who saved me by His grace; when He takes me by the hand, and leads me through the Promised Land, what a day, glorious day that will be.

There’ll be no sorrow there, no more burdens to bear, no more sickness, no pain, no more parting over there; and forever I will be with the One who died for me, what a day glorious day that will be.” (James Hill)

When I think of “no more parting over there” I think of the reunion my husband and I attended this past week.  We were invited to see a dear friend and her husband who were visiting here.  I met this precious friend almost 39 years ago, and we have been though many trials, joys and heartaches together.  Our children grew up together.  And also gathered there at that lovely home were other friends from that time period.  We were all young then, raising our children, worshipping together, retreats together, sharing our joys and sorrows together.  Now we have all gone our separate ways.  We have all entered our senior years, with grandchildren and all that goes with these years.  And there are some we knew of that group who have gone on to be with Jesus.  And the group, as it was this past week, will never be together again as it was on this side of heaven.

But as we were all gathered together, laughing and sharing and sometimes we didn’t even recognize each other, but oh the joy of memories!  We have all walked through our trials down the years.  Our eyes have been dimmed by tears, clouds have covered our sky, but someday we will be able to sit down and fellowship together forever.  There won’t be any time limits, any appointments to hurry and take care of.  I think of my dear friend and the trials and the pain she has been through and the victories she has won and am reminded of 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

“Therefore we do not lose heart.  Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.  For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

Sometimes in the midst of pain, we feel like we are losing heart.  And sometimes that pain can be just a minor pain, a pain that is nagging.  And the Lord is interested in those pains and in all our struggles, even the smallest ones.  But oh, this old body may be perishing and getting older, but by the Holy Spirit it is being renewed each and every day.  These are just light afflictions compared to the glory that is just ahead.

“Beloved, now we are the children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.  And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” I John 2-3.

We all have this hope within us, that someday when we finally see Him face to face, we will be like Him, and we will see our precious Lord just as He is.  Oh, Praise the Lord!

Do you have this hope within you?  Are you looking forward to that “great reunion” in our heavenly Jerusalem?  Reunions are usually prevalent in the summer months.  We have a family reunion with our children coming in August.  But again, reunions are just a shadow of what is ahead for God’s children, when all our loved ones in Jesus will be there, and old friends will gather, enjoying the angels and all the glories of heaven.  But most of all being with Jesus will be the grandest of all we could ever hope to imagine.  And, being with old friends again, never to part will be a joy that I can’t begin to describe.  I hope to see you there on that day, and that day could be just around the corner, over the next hill, or we will all meet together up there in that beautiful blue sky when that trumpet sounds, never to part again.

In the Name of Jesus,

Pastor Sharon