“You might remember my grandmother,” J. mentioned in our conversation. “although she’s been gone a long time now.”
“Who could forget her?” I responded. “She was such a vibrant woman.”
J. nodded. “I was privileged to be with Grandma during her last hours on earth—a surreal experience for sure. She radiated peace and wore the sweetest smile. Grandma kept whispering with wonder, ‘Oh, it’s beautiful—so beautiful!’
“And she called out people’s names too, names that meant nothing to us. At the time it seemed such a strange thing to do.
“Then a few years ago when I researched our family ancestry, some of those names turned up on our family tree from a generation or two prior to Grandma’s—relatives she must have known when she was young and people of faith already in heaven. She had to have seen them from her deathbed!”
We marveled at what J. had observed as she stood on the threshold of heaven with her grandmother. And we embraced the assurance that dying need not be feared—IF we’ve accepted God’s gift of eternal life by believing in Christ.
In fact, the great preacher Charles Spurgeon declared we can welcome death with intense delight, that it is sweet to die in the Lord [1].
In my younger days though, I wondered if playing a harp all day would be sweet enough to keep me happily occupied. My next thought was, at least that beats the alternative.
Little did I understand:
Earth’s best does not compare with heaven’s least.
—F. B. Meyer [2]
Of course that’s true. God in all his glory resides there. Also, if he’s provided astounding beauty, pleasurable activity, and satisfying purpose for us on earth, he will certainly provide all that and more in heaven.
Joy is the serious business of heaven.
–C.S. Lewis [3]
Lewis wasn’t talking about fleeting joy, but permanent, moment-by-moment, perfect joy.
He also wrote:
I also used to wonder, How will we get there? Will we have to “walk toward the light” alone? I’d like some company.
First of all, Jesus promised to be with us always [4]. His very name Emmanuel means God with us—in the here and now, as we approach and cross the threshold of heaven, and forever thereafter.
Second, in Jesus’ parable about the rich man and the poor beggar Lazaruz, the latter was carried by angels to heaven [5].
Looks like we’ll have plenty of company.
But the journey from earth to heaven won’t be very long anyway. To be absent from the body is to be present with God [6].
Even if the threshold of heaven was far distant, and even if we had to make the journey alone, the potential discomfort would be more than worth it.
The Bible only gives us a few quick glimpses of what’s to come, but they stagger the imagination: twelve gates, each made from a single pearl, streets of gold as pure as transparent glass, and walls made of precious stones.
A river as clear as crystal runs down from God’s throne and through the middle of the main street. It’s a place where no pain, sorrow, death, or suffering can mar the perfection of God’s realm [7].
Some Bible teachers and scholars have characterized heaven in these ways:
- Life far better, richer, fuller, purer, and more joyful than here [8]
- Tranquility, fullness, blessedness, calm, sweetness, holiness, joy, a haven of rest [9]
- Unsurpassed joy, unfading glory, undiminished bliss, unlimited delights, and unending pleasures [10]
We can depend upon it. That last moment, as each of us stands on the threshold of eternity, will be the best moment we have ever known!
J.’s grandmother and others provide the proof.
P.S. This post highlights what others had to say as they stood on the threshold of heaven: https://nancyaruegg.com/2018/02/01/famous-last-words/
[1] Morning by Morning, 113.
[2] Quoted in Streams in the Desert, L. B. Cowman, ed. Jim Reimann, 157.
[3] Letters to Malcolm, 92-93.
[4] Matthew 28:20
[5] Luke 16:19-31.
[6] 2 Corinthians 5:8 HCSB
[7] Revelation 21:4; 18-21; 22:1
[8] Jon Bloom, Not by Sight, 67.
[9] Jonathan Edwards (www.gracequotes.org).
[10] John MacArthur, The Glory of Heaven, 68.
Art & photo credits: http://www.freerangestock.com; http://www.heartlight.org; http://www.canva.com; http://www.stockcake.com; http://www.pexels.com; http://www.canva.com.
From the Inside Out 