Eternal Hope!

Eternal Hope!
Brad Reiches
Mar 14 2006 09:52AM

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006
GodThoughts Wired! 

"Eternal Hope!" 

"This hope we have as an anchor of the soul."

Hebrews 6:19

I've had the honor and privilege to preside over four memorial services in the past eight weeks.  Each of them has been a celebration.  Why?  Because each of those who were "promoted" had personal relationships with Jesus Christ (see John 17:3).  As such, "To die was gain" (see Philippians 1:21).  They truly were PROMOTED!

Was there mourning?  Sure - but not like you might think:

"We do not want you to be uninformed, brethren,

about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve

as do the rest who have no hope."

1 Thessalonians 4:13 (bold mine)

As the above scripture indicates, the grief is not like that of the rest of the world.  When we Christians lose someone to death, we are sad because we will miss all that their lives added to ours, however, we are keenly aware that this separation is only temporary.  We will be reunited with them at the time of our death.

Indeed, the death of a non-christian is nothing but TRAGIC.  Death for those who don't know Jesus means eternal separation from God (see Matthew 25:41, 46).  But for the Christian?

"To be absent from the body is

to be present with the Lord."

2 Corinthians 5:7

The day a Christian dies is a day of celebration!  Why?  The day a Christian dies is the first day of the rest of their eternity spent with God in heaven where there is no more sorrow and no more pain (see Revelation 21:4).

THAT'S WHY!