Goodbye, Hello

Last week we said goodbye to our cat. She died Thursday, old and well loved.

Bria was faithful. She met us at the door with a meow. She sat in our laps while we watched TV. She lay on the floor near my feet while I worked on my computer.

She didn’t ask for much but gave a lot of love in return. She was a comforting companion.

It hurt to see her suffer. It hurt that we could do little to help. At least she didn’t suffer long.

If you’ve ever lost a pet, you know what we’ve been through. There’s an empty place in our home. I keep expecting to see her out of the corner of my eye.

On top of that, a special aunt also passed away last week. She was my dad’s closest sister.

I remember visiting in Aunt Jean’s home as a child and playing with my cousins. My uncle Joe was a preacher, too. Just like my dad. Now all three of them are gone.

My aunt’s passing reminded me of how much I miss my father. And my heart went out to my cousins who have had to say goodbye to both mother and father.

Losing a relative or a pet we love hurts. Every other time we said goodbye, we hoped to see them again. But last week we had to say the final goodbye. Twice.

The Bible compares death to a sting. At first the loss of a loved one can be almost unbearable. But with time the pain lessens. Eventually the heart heals. Until the next sting.

One thing about life I wasn’t prepared for. The longer you live the more you see death.

My dad came home from a funeral once and, from what he told me, it was one of the most difficult he ever had as a pastor. A man in his early forties had died in a hunting accident. His family was so distraught that they literally tried to pull him out of the coffin. True story.

Now while I miss my dad and others who have passed on, I have a sure hope I will see them again. And that helps me cope with grief.

OK, hold it right there for just a minute. Why is it that Christians talk about seeing their dead loved ones again? Isn’t that a little weird?

Not if you’re a student of the Bible.

The Bible teaches that there is life after this life. But it also says that decisions we make in this life affect our destination in the next.

God doesn’t want anyone to be surprised in eternity. So he tells us the facts of eternal life.

The Bible says people have eternal souls. It tells us that eternal life is available to everyone through faith in Jesus Christ.

What must you believe? That you are a sinner and you need a Savior. That Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sin. And that if you trust in him, Jesus will save your soul and take you to Heaven.

The Bible tells us that Heaven and Hell are real places. Just like New York City or Chicago.

For the Christ follower, the Bible says, “To be away from the body” is to be “at home with the Lord.” Reincarnation? No. With the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus once told a story that explained how we would one day join those who have died in faith before us. He said we would recognize them and be able to communicate with them. So while it’s “Goodbye” now, it will be “Hello” soon. Heaven is an amazing place!

So while saying a final goodbye is difficult, for the Christ follower it is an exercise of confident hope. Because we know that, one day soon, we will see our loved ones in Heaven.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Final Thoughts

No this isn’t my last column. At least I don’t think so.

However, since it’s the end of the year, this seems like a good time to reflect and ponder life.

Do you ever think about how short your life is? How every year seems to go by a little faster than the last one? Try to really THINK about it. Not just notice it and comment about it.

It’s good to pause and think about life’s brevity. To consider life’s end once in a while. It helps us see life as it really is and to make needed changes in our lives.

I enjoy talking with people about spiritual things. Often I’ll ask them a question such as, “When you die, what do you think you’ll find on the other side? What’s the final reality?”

It surprises me to hear some say, “I haven’t given it much thought.” Really? How could you not think about the most certain experience in the world?

“Now hold it just a minute,” I can hear someone say. “Isn’t all this talk a little morbid?”

Only if you think ignorance is bliss.

Take a minute and do the math. A man born in America today will live on average to age 75. A woman to age 80. Then what happens? They die and go somewhere forever.

So if we subtract 75 or 80 years from forever it equals—forever! And as they say, “Forever is a long, long time.”

People spend their lives planning and preparing for retirement. And how long does it last? Fifteen to twenty years? Or maybe thirty--if they’re blessed with good health and long life?

And remember--there’s no guarantee they’ll even make it to retirement!

But everyone is guaranteed to die. Last time I checked, no one exits planet earth alive.

Because of this fact of life, the Bible’s advice to us is, “Prepare to meet your God.”

Now the Bible doesn’t tell us that to frighten or scare us. The point is to encourage us to push the “Pause” button on our busy lives and think about what happens when life’s movie ends.

Listen to the wisdom of God’s Word: “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the dust returns to the ground it came from and the spirit returns to God who gave it.”

According to the Bible there is no reincarnation, no purgatory, and no second chances. Jesus clearly taught that eternity holds just two options: a place of delight and adventure the Bible calls heaven and a place of eternal punishment Jesus called hell.

To be sure we don’t miss this fact the Bible says, “Man is destined to die once and after that to face judgment.” That’s the facts straight up. No sugar coating.

The good news is that God made it possible to spend forever with him. Through Jesus’ death on the cross, God offers forgiveness and peace to all who come to him through faith in Christ.

Jesus came to bring new life now and eternal life later to everyone. God’s offer is not just for Jews or Christians. It’s for everyone regardless of his or her religion.

The angel who announced Jesus’ birth to the shepherds said, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for ALL THE PEOPLE. Today in the City of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord.”

A New Year’s resolution can help change a habit. But Jesus Christ offers a better life—both now and forever. Faith in him brings us peace with God and can help us be at peace with others.

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Because Jesus came we can follow him to our eternal home. And that’s final.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Hotter ’n Hell

In the middle of summer, when the weather is hot, people talk about hell. They say, “It’s hotter ’n hell!” Of course it’s not--but their expression betrays their belief that hell is real.

Some people say they don’t believe in hell but their words are still peppered with “hells” and “damns!” (To “damn” is to condemn someone to hell.) As kids used to say, “Go figure.”

Others ask how a God of love could send people to such a terrible place.

Now hold it right there for just a minute. Some folks think that all Jesus talked about was love. But Jesus spoke about hell more than all the other New Testament writers combined!

Interestingly, all we know about hell comes from the Bible. It says hell is prepared for the devil and his fallen angels and that God has done everything possible to prevent people from going there. However, God won’t keep you from going if you’re determined to go.

Instead what you usually hear is people wishing they could send their friends and family there. They say, “Go to hell!” or “God damn you!”

The Bible clearly warns that all who reject Jesus Christ as their Savior will be judged after death and spend eternity in a lake of fire called hell. God sent Jesus to die on the cross and provide forgiveness for sin so that salvation from hell could be free to all who trust in him.

God doesn’t want to damn people, he wants a personal relationship with them. He wants to be their God and for them to be his spiritual children. But, if people reject his son, Jesus Christ, as their personal Savior, there is no other way to be saved from hell. Jesus did not say, “I am A way.” He said, “I am THE way, THE truth and THE life.” He didn’t leave the door open for there to be another “way” to get into heaven—no matter how sincere a person is.

Now that bothers some people. But it’s really no different than if I told you there is only one road to my house. Stating a fact doesn’t make one a bigot.

Christians who believe the Bible is true naturally feel they must warn others of the consequences of rejecting Christ. The forgiveness, peace and joy that come from accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is something they want everyone to have.

On top of that, Jesus commanded his followers to go into the whole world and tell others the good news about him. The Bible calls that good news the “Gospel.”

According to the Bible the gospel is the news that Jesus died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to his disciples and then to more than five hundred people at the same time.

Sadly some Christians aren’t tactful in their approach to sharing this news. If you’re not a born-again Christian, please don’t dismiss Christians who share their faith with you as bigots.

When a Christian tells a non-Christian that they need to put their faith in Jesus, it’s not because he disrespects the other person’s faith. Rather it’s because he cares about the other person’s eternal soul. He wants them to repent and personally trust Jesus for salvation.

Here’s more good news: Jesus will not only save you from hell, he will be your friend, guide, protector and provider through your whole life. Being a Christian is not just about living for the hereafter. It’s about eternal life that starts right now—a life with purpose, meaning, joy and contentment. Instead of hell on earth you can experience heaven in your heart.

Yes, God is a God of love. And he loves you so much he never wants you to get anywhere near hell—much less feel “Hotter ’n hell!”

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!