This weekend my husband and I attended a “Celebration of Life” for a wonderful, Godly man whom we have known close to twenty-five years.  In fact, over a turkey dinner meal twenty-two years ago, we sat down with Allen and his wife, Catherine, and we bought their house!  That transaction was completely orchestrated by God.  They needed to sell, and we fell in love with their acreage.  We have lived here these many years making family memories ever since.

The “Celebration of Life” for Allen was filled with laughter and warm memories of a man who had “fought the good fight” and had a “life well-lived”.  There were few tears because for most of us, we know that while we will miss him, we will be united again some day.  A friend of mine remarked after the service, after the tributes and the hymns, that “this is a glimpse of heaven”.  All the saints gathered singing praises to God and being together in spirit.  I totally agreed.

One does not like to think about dying.  It will come to us all, some sooner than later, and all of us will fight it until our last breath.  It’s ironic that we fight so hard to live in a world that is fallen and hard and difficult, when for those of us who believe, death is our reward!  Our hope is not here on earth, but in Jesus and being with Him throughout eternity.  We should not fear death, but rejoice in the knowledge that when we escape the constraints of this world, we will be “made new” in Christ.  So I can’t help but think, why wait?  Come, Lord Jesus, come!  Rapture your Church!  The sooner the better!

Then I immediately cry out, “No, wait!!”

The reality is, for me at least, that I’m just not ready to go!  I still have memories to make with my loved ones, and I still believe God is still writing my story here.  I’m not done yet, and neither is He!  I have family members who do not know Jesus as their personal Saviour and I don’t want them to be left behind.  I have friends and neighbours who do not live for eternity but live for themselves.  If Jesus should come for His Church too soon, they would be left behind.  I want my Hope to be their hope!

So, as much as I long for the day when we will all meet in heaven, where tears will be no more, I am not ready to go quite yet.

But some day….