June 22, 2012 The End is Coming

John 14: 19 .After a little while the world will behold Me no more, but you will behold Me; because I live, you shall live also.

There's a movie coming out about an asteroid heading to a collision with the earth, and I understand we moviegoers get to watch what the main characters do in light of the impending end of the world. I recently learned of a lady who died ten days after being diagnosed with cancer, and another lady who on Tuesday was caring for her grandchildren and on Wednesday was gone from this life.

Whether it is a movie or reality, we have no guarantees of a certain life expectancy, no matter what the insurance actuaries tell us. In light of that I was challenged to think about what I would want my last words to be.

I'm not afraid. Those are pretty important words to leave with someone when you are going some place they cannot see yet. I am not afraid because Jesus has gone ahead to prepare a place for me, and He is waiting for me. Can you imagine that? In fact, I can get really excited about what is ahead...because though there is a lot about eternity that I do not know, there is a lot that I do know.

Jesus is there, the One who redeemed me and who has prepared a place for me - can you imagine what that place will be like? I can't. But I do know that I will have a completely renewed mind, unencumbered by sin and temptation. My desires, for once, will truly be His desires.    

So I would want "I'm not afraid" to be among my last words I've read a lot of obituaries over the last couple of weeks (that is another story), and so many of them say that he or she died peacefully. That is an important thing to the survivors, that their loved one was a peace - and what a peace there is in knowing that death is only the open door into the presence of God - and He has cleansed me and made me ready for that place. So, I am not afraid, and I hope you have the same kind of peace and hope that I do...Love God and enjoy His love. If you really do, you too will not only have peace with God, but it will engender an appetite for all those around you to do the same.