Death, then Life

~ Barbara ~ 3 Comments

Jesus’ disciples didn’t seem to process His words when Jesus told them He would die. Did they recall what He said when they watched the soldiers arrest Him? Did they hang on to hope, or did their cherished hopes wither? Even though Jesus told them He would rise from the dead, we don’t see evidence of anticipation. As the night of His arrest lengthened, I believe their fear and confusion grew. And then their worst nightmare happened—Jesus was sentenced to death and crucified.

We don’t like death; it’s so final. We don’t like thinking about the death of those we love or even those we barely know. How about our own death? I hope we don’t dread it, after all, it is the only door to Heaven. You may even be uncomfortable reading this post, but press on.

Good Friday, then Easter. Death first, then life. In eternity, we will find no dread, no fear, no suffering. We will only know joy, wholeness, and freedom. This inheritance is possible because Jesus died and rose to life. He ascended and is preparing a place for us, eager for us to join Him.

The somberness of Good Friday inspires our anticipation of Easter’s victory, which in turn, ignites our eagerness for eternal life. Death, then life, for Jesus, for us. Anticipate it!

For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command,
with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, 
and the dead in Christ will rise first. 
After that, we who are still alive and are left 
will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
And so we will be with the Lord forever. 
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

I Always Have a Problem with the Donkey

~ Barbara ~ 3 Comments

They anticipated a Messiah. They wondered, Is Jesus the one? He preached with unprecedented wisdom, He healed with a word, He commanded demons, He ruled nature. Anticipation was building. Jesus came to Jerusalem for the Passover, and again they wondered, Would He take His position as King now?

“He’s coming!” Can you hear the excitement, sense the tension, feel the hope?

And then He appeared. On a donkey! No white stallion, no trumpeters, no fanfare. So they created their own. They took off their cloaks, spreading them on the road. They spontaneously cut branches to line the way and waved fronds in the air. Apparently, they weren’t put off by the donkey. All they saw was Jesus. And they worshiped Him.

Personally, Jesus’ humble entry saddens me. I admit, it aligned with His birth in a stable and His bed in a manger. It reflected His lifestyle with no place to lay His head. It must have resonated with the sick and sinners He had healed and forgiven. And, it was a harbinger of the excruciatingly humble death that awaited Him.

Yes, the donkey discomforts me, but this is not Jesus’ only “Triumphal Entry.” He is coming again, and I eagerly anticipate His return. It will be amazingly glorious!

“There will be strange signs in the sun, moon, and stars.
And here on earth the nations will be in turmoil,
perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides….Then everyone will see the Son of Man 
coming on a cloud with power and great glory.”
Luke 21:25, 27

It’s Coming, Part 3

~ Barbara ~ 1 Comment

Despite the official start of spring tomorrow, warmer temperatures are hiding. We do not doubt that sunny days, brighter skies, and green leaves are coming—these longed-for signs of spring are just playing shy as the cold, gray weather continues.

The news headlines also seem cold and gray, offering dour reports and disputed solutions. How nice to know the media doesn’t have the last word! As sure as a new season is coming in nature, a bright future awaits us in eternity, one filled with promise and hope—where there will never, ever be reports of war.

We have a lot of never-evers to look forward to. We will never ever be deceived; everything we hear (and say) will be true. We will never doubt anyone or be suspicious. There will be no lies or innuendos. We will never misspeak; all our words will be wise and edifying.

Our understanding will not be dim or limited. We will comprehend wonders and appreciate scientific complexities and artistic beauty. Those wonders God confided to us on earth (see Psalm 25:14) will be expanded and expounded on in heaven—and we will have no problem grasping their intricacies! 

We will never ever feel self-conscious, embarrassed, or uncomfortable (pause and think about that)! We will never be deterred by physical or mental inadequacies. We will not mistrust others or second-guess ourselves. Our emotions will not be unruly, our feelings will not mislead, and there will be no fear to bully us. Our curiosity will be piqued and satisfied. Our interests will be sharpened and broadened. Our creativity will find uninhibited expression and produce unflawed beauty.

We will never ever be depressed, angry, or frustrated. We will not feel inferior, or superior. We will not hide from or shun anyone. We will not wrestle with pride, harbor unforgiveness, or hold bitterness. Every word we hear will be enlightening and beneficial. We will love and smile and encourage.

God will occupy our thoughts and speech. Our worship will flow as freely as we breathe. For eternity, we will realize fresh aspects of His nature and discover the beauty of His new creation. We will reunite with family and friends and meet servants and heroes we heard about. We will eat and dance and laugh together, and tell of God’s goodness.

These thoughts about Heaven could expand from three blogs to three books—there is no limit to imagining its glory. After Paul wrote, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him,” he added, “But it was to us that God revealed these things by His Spirit. For His Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets” (1 Cor. 2:9-10). We can only imagine the blessings that await us.

Heaven is a treasured assurance for all who believe in Jesus. Eternal spring is coming!

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, 
that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Want to read more about Heaven? Check out this site:
davidjeremiah.blog/what-does-the-bible-say-about-heaven-65-passages-to-get-you-started/

It’s Coming, Part 2

~ Barbara ~ 1 Comment

Are you celebrating? The melting snow has uncovered green grass, and the time change is extending daylight into the evening. And it will only get better—spring will officially arrive on March 20. When we were blanketed with snow in bone-chilling temperatures, we eagerly anticipated the blessings of spring, and we see them increasing day by day. Let’s talk about the forever spring of eternity and return to our musings about the joys ahead.

I love thinking about what will not be in Heaven, such as sickness. Can you imagine never having a headache, toothache, or body ache? Our knees won’t buckle, our backs won’t spasm, our bones won’t break. There will be no tumors, no abscesses, no mysterious anomalies. We won’t cough, sneeze, or blow our noses. We won’t suffer from indigestion, worry about heart palpitations, or experience chronic fatigue. Our memories will be sharp, never forgetting thoughts or searching for words. We will have no medication, no surgery, no tooth extractions. We will not need glasses, hearing aids, or joint braces. We won’t run out of breath, run out of energy, run out of time. Mountain climbing, galaxy surfing, and deep-sea swimming will not tax us. We will breathe deeply, and our senses will be sharp, allowing us to see, hear, smell, taste, and feel acutely. Selah. These thoughts are too wonderful!

Consider what will be “no more” in heaven, and we’ll continue our ponderings next Thursday. For today, savor this:

God Himself will be with us and be our God. 
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. 
There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, 
for the old order of things has passed away.”
Revelation 21:4