A View of Heaven from the Brink of Eternity

"Sarah,
Sorry I haven't kept in touch much. Haven't been feeling as well the past few months. Five months ago, the oncologist said I had a maximum of six months to live. They see cancer all through my skeleton. "

This note fell out "The Father's House". My friend Diane Dew had been asked to write the forward to this book which is a collection of Spurgeon's sermon's on Heaven. She sent me a copy shortly before she went there. I thought I'd share with you some of her reflections after she was told she only had a short time to live;

"What's heaven like?' my son asked me from his hospital bed in the cancer ward. Caught off guard, I realized I knew next to nothing about the subject. I thought for a moment, then told him,"Heaven will have all of the good things and none of the bad."

After searching the scriptures, I found that was not such a bad answer. Much of what God's Word reveals regarding heaven is about what's not there. There will be no more pain, no more death, no more sorrow, no crying, no violence, no darkness, no hunger, no thirst, etc. (Isaiah 65:19-25; Revelation 7:17, 21:4).

I personally became interested in heaven after the passing of my dear mother. I wanted to learn everything the Bible says about the subject. So when the doctors told me I had only a few months to live , I was not devastated by the news.

We prepare in great detail when making plans for vacation of just a few days' duration. When planning to relocate to a new community, we relocate to a new community, we research the climate, socioeconomic, real estate prospects, employment opportunities,etc.

However, when it comes to the place of our abode for eternity, many Christians make no preparation but live as though this earth were our permanent home. They spend every spare moment shopping or pursuing vain entertainment.

Then, after spending so much time, money, and effort decorating their homes within and without, they leave to their loved ones the task of ridding their lives of the burden of all that "stuff" accumulated.

Jesus told about a man who spent his entire life accumulating many possessions- who when he had no more room to store his goods, made plans to build yet another structure in which to store it all. Then one day he was called away, to meet his Master. Jesus response was, "Then whose shall these things be?"

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth," Jesus said. Our treasures should be in heaven. That's where our investments should be held, for true security.

While sharing Diane's view of heaven I received word that another dear friend of mine died during the night.

Lord Jesus, the grief and sorrow of losing the ones we love to death is very real. Thank you for preparing a place for us in your Father's house. Help me not to become so preoccupied with the stuff of this life that I loose sight of eternity.