Monday, October 16, 2017

The Best Welcome Ever!

When the council members heard Stephen’s speech, they were angry and furious. But Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit. He looked toward heaven, where he saw our glorious God and Jesus standing at his right side. Then Stephen said, ‘I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right side of God!’ The council members…started throwing stones at him. As Stephen was being stoned to death, he called out, ‘Lord Jesus, please welcome me!’” Acts 7:54-57.

There were three different times in my life when I truly believe the divine peek into heaven that Stephen experienced also was experienced in the life of my family. Grandmother, Daddy and Beth all had those last days when their lives danced on the edges between heaven and earth. Those times when it appeared that they had already seen the glory of heaven and no longer responded to us. In all three instances as I sat there beside them I intently watched their movements. I remember Grandmother actually raising her hand up in the air as she lay there unresponsive. This wasn’t odd to me because I had spent my life periodically standing beside her in church, watching her little arm raise up in approval to the music, and honor to her Father.

Another time, my dad seemed to be asleep near the end but was moving his mouth and speaking whispers with his face towards heaven. He would raise his eyebrows and make gestures that I had watched as a daughter my entire life. As I sat beside Beth near the end, her face towards heaven, a smile would break across that beautiful face with her eyes closed, and hand gestures were made. Beth always used her hands when she would tell a story or having a conversation with someone.

I am convinced that all three during those times were peeking into their new home, and seeing both God and Jesus standing there welcoming them. I can just imagine the open arms of God welcoming grandmother home as His daughter who He lent to this world for 101 years. Oh, how He must have missed her so! I can see a crown being held up for my dad to come and receive for the many years he worked tirelessly in CEF, a ministry bringing children to Christ who didn't know Him. I’ll bet there was a crowd of those whose lives were impacted by Daddy’s service. And I would like to believe that as Beth was peeking into heaven, God was showing her the beautiful garden He had assigned to her. Boy, did she love those flowers and digging into the beautiful soil of the earth.

We have a personal God who personally deals with each of us in love, motivation and blessings both in heaven and on earth. I see heaven through dreams sometimes when I dream of those who have gone before me, but I stand on my spiritual tiptoes as I walk through this world. I don’t want to miss something in the spiritual realm because I was focusing on some silly thing in the earthly realm. I want to peek into heaven at any point that God wishes to reveal its beauty to me. I try to remember the radiant and joyful beauty on the faces of my loved ones as they were peeking into heaven. I don’t think they ever looked back.

Who could blame them?

"And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.' And the One seating on the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new.' Then He said, 'Write this down, for these words are faithful and true.'" Rev 21:3-5.

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