Recently, people who I treasure dearly had to say goodbye to loved ones, and I had to say goodbye to a friend. This week, a dear friend of mine, Carolyn Shanks had to say good-bye to her eighteen-year-old nephew. He had cancer. Almost a month ago, another dear friend and writer, Peggi Tustan, whom I cherished, had to say goodbye to her mother, and yesterday, I learned of the departure of a dear writer and defender of children, Sandra MacLeod Humphrey and her husband Brian Humphrey, killed by a fire that broke out in their home. As Christians, we all know this earth is not our home, but during the hectic, which rages in our lives, we tend to forget how close we walk next to the portal called death.
The fact is there is a door all of us have to face, and it is the door of death. Some scientists call it the final frontier, but I call it the final door before crossing over into eternity unless the LORD returns soon.
Another fact is no one can predict how he or she will leave this world. Strange things happen, events take place, which we cannot explain, and we have to walk through that door. We do not have a choice. However, the reality for me as a Christian is that when my time comes, and I have to face that door and walk through it, Jesus will be on the other side of it. He'll be waiting at the end for me.
That is my blessed hope and the hope of every Christian I know. Our faith is built upon this blessed hope. Thus, the sting of death does not lie upon us, but the resurrection life of Jesus Christ. The victory over death has been won, and we march forth, not worrying about when we will die, but resting in the assurance that when we are absent in this body, we will be present with our LORD.
As said in a passage of Scripture I love so dearly,
Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written:
Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your sting?
O grave, where is your victory?
The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which give us the victory through our LORD Jesus Christ.[1]
I don't know how often a new article will appear in this new series, but I have named it, Going Home, and it is and will be a biblical story and dedicated to all those Christian warriors who have finished their journey and have walked through the final door into eternity to be with the LORD. The first article will appear shortly, and I hope that it will be a comfort those who are seeking comfort.
Pat Garcia
