Heaven and hell
I feel that God revealed something to me Sunday morning just a few minutes after I woke up. I was enjoying a little quiet time before heading out to church when I read about bad things happening to good people.
Before I go any further I need to say, some who read this might say, Duh!
It was a revelation for me, I was the one who needed it at that time.
I believe that God does intervene sometimes, to answer prayer even if it is not the way we might expect (or hope). I also believe that He created all things and has allowed us to have a choice. When giving us, all of us, a choice then sometimes other people might make choices that will affect us. I don't think God allows bad things to happen to good people but I do believe He lets the consequences of others play out. When one looses a child to illness or accident it seems so unfair. When one looses a spouse and they were way to young, it seems so unfair. I believe that life on earth is a training ground for us all. When we loose a loved one, the separation is so hard it feels as if part of our own heart has been torn out. We have been separated from that love, that companionship, that hope for the future. I believe that God is using the situation, not allowing or causing but using, to show us what heaven and hell or like. It is only a limps but think of what an eternity alone would be like. Imagine no hope for the future, alone, not just a piece of our heart torn out but no heart at all. No love, none what so ever.
The flip side is that we spend eternity with God. God, who is love, who is our hope, who is our heart.
I guess death is not the only bad thing that happens to us but I think it is probably the most tragic. We pay for others mistakes or poor choices just as others are affected by our mistakes and poor choices. Some people smoke and it kills a family member or some will drink and drive and kill not only the one sitting next to them but some times others who are total strangers. We make choices every day and have to pay for those that are not good. In the end our mistakes are many but I am so glad that the price was paid by Christ Jesus. The cost to me? Surrender. Surrender my pride, I surrender all.
The difference in Heaven and hell, I believe!!
posted by John at 1:02 PM
3 Comments:
Interesting comments, John, esp. this statement:
"I believe that God is using the situation (of our loved ones dying), not allowing or causing but using, to show us what heaven and hell are like. It is only a glimpse but think of what an eternity alone would be like."
I never thought of it that way.
A thought I've had along these lines, is - perhaps if we knew what awaited our loved ones (those who know the Lord) on the other side of death we wouldn't hang on to them so tightly, think of their death as a mistake and nurse the conviction a longer life would have been God's best plan for them...especially when it's a child.
4:29 PM
Violet,
I enjoy your comments and ponder on your words. God is so big, for us to even get a glimps of all His wonder is such a blessing. When we share our thoughts of God with each other as brothers and sisters, then we start knowing the depth of Gods love. Thanks for your comments.
John
8:56 AM
Randy Alcorn says this. "We were made for a Person and a place. That person is Jesus. That place is heaven." I agree. All of our relationships on earth are snapshots of Jesus' desired relationship with us. These earthly ones are never meant to fill completely; even so, it sure hurts when someone dies. But, if they know Jesus, as Violet said, we will see them again in the place God made for us.
4:52 AM
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