| Sharon Vander Waal |
Dear Reader,
Today I want to share something from a Lifeboat friend, Sharon Vander Waal, and some bottom-line good direction she found from God's Word.
"This morning in my devotions I was reading a few verses at the very end of the Gospel of Luke. I was struck by the fact that Jesus was about to leave this earth and return to heaven. His disciples were loosing the Lord’s physical presence. In the same account in the last verses of Matthew Jesus promises to always be with them through His Spirit, but His physical presence would no longer be with them. I wonder if they ever longed for His physical presence during their earthly journeys?
In spite of Jesus’ return to heaven it says in Luke 24:52, “Then they worshipped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.” I think this joy was because the disciples knew they belonged to the Lord for all of eternity. The Lord had also given them the task of living and teaching His truth.
It hurts to be without the physical presence of my husband,
Wayne, and sometimes I just long for heaven and the physical presence of the
Lord. I think the Luke passage is telling me, however, that my task is just the
same as it always was. That task is to joyfully step by step and day by day
live out my faith for God’s glory. The dimensions and expressions of that is
different since Wayne’s death, but it is the same purpose. The Lord alone has
to be my reason for getting up in the morning when I still struggle to do this.
Lord, give me the grace for this." --Sharon
Nice thanks for sharing this. My longing for heaven has been so strong since losing my husband infact I am becoming a Jesus is coming advocate and keep wishing rapture will take place. It's good to know that God will still have me live to bring glory to Him and if so He will heal me and grant me the grace. Halima
ReplyDeleteLosing one's soul- mate, a word I use only to portray that this bond was a bond that death broke by earthly reasoning but heart-wise (or soul-wise) has not changed. The disciples must have been so distraught to learn that their Beloved Christ was going to be physically gone as they were asked to have faith that His (God's))spirit would suffice for our comfort in his absence. We have never known Him physically, only spiritually...making it easier somewhat to keep the faith and trust on towards eternity with Him. But our husbands are a very real physical loss and heart-wise, a very spiritual loss, too. I long for the Rapture, too, but am so aware that God will choose the appropriate time when as many that will accept Him will do so before He closes that offer for eternity. We must pray for and accept his grace to tarry on until His Will Be Done, I nearly cry daily for my love, my husband, but am reminded as quickly that God knows best. I continue to count my blessings and move on.....and continue to wait. (ReginaV)
ReplyDeleteI think there's some added significance to the verse, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." It sounds like our hearts are in heaven while we wait to finish our time here. Once the weight of grief lifts --and it will, it just takes time-- your heartbeat for heaven will help you treasure your time here on earth. Blessed are they who mourn for they WILL be comforted! (Mt. 6) Love to you Halima and Regina!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Ferree, for your personal responses to us. It so nice and comforting to know others do understand.
ReplyDelete(ReginaV)