Entering Eden

“While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house… ‘Your daughter is dead,’ they said, ‘Why bother the teacher anymore?’ Ignoring what they said, Jesus … [said] ‘Don’t be afraid; just believe…Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.’ He took her hand and said to her … ‘Little girl, I say to you, get up.’ Immediately the girl stood up…” Mark 5:35-42.

I have a theory about the moments leading up to crossing over to that eternal Eden and locking lives with our Creator. Granted this is only a theory of a simple woman but one that brings me such comfort in the earthly loss of my loved ones. My theory is that in the days and moments leading up to the actual passing, Christ is speaking to us preparing and revealing our approaching entry into Eden. This passage of an earthly healing of a little girl reminds me of my sister’s spiritual healing three years ago.

As she laid there in Hospice, unresponsive to those around her, she seemed to be in constant communion with Someone. With eyes closed, she would raise her eyebrows and smile in delight, and lift up her little arms as if reaching for a parent. She would mouth things only known to her and Christ. I know that as we were experiencing despair she was experiencing the Divine. While all of the commotion was swirling around her…doctors shaking their heads that she was still alive, family members accepting her impending departure, nurses checking and rechecking blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen in the blood…she laid there in peace.

Then the Lord said, ‘This child is not dead but asleep.’ Then Christ took her tiny hand and said, ‘Beth, get up and let’s enter Eden. There is a wonderful area I am blessing you with…an area where you will serve and worship me. You are only dead to this world but you are getting ready to enter the land of the living.’

I believe that the veil between heaven and earth becomes more translucent for those who are getting ready to depart. I believe that the face of Christ becomes more visible as our loved ones are preparing to join Him. I believe that those smiles I saw on Beth’s face were reflections of the crystal streets being unrolled before her as she was being led straight to Eden.

‘As it is written—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.’ Romans 4:17.