Wow!

And the sound of weeping and crying will be heard in it no more. No longer will babies die when only a few days old. No longer will adults die before they have lived a full life.
Isaiah 65:19b-20a NLT

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Philippians 3:20 NLT

In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.”

Isaiah 2:2-3 NLT

My oldest brother passed away 6 weeks ago. However, I was privileged to spend the last few days of his time here on Earth in his home with him and with his immediate family. There are sweet, sweet memories to be held close, but as I was thinking about Ron today, I wanted to share a couple, and one in particular. 

It has been my experience with those I've had the privilege of being with in the days before their transition from this world to the next, that they often seem to have an eye on both places. They often 'see' or 'talk' to family or loved ones who have gone before. I can't explain that, I won't even try, but I know what I have witnessed. With Ron, he greeted Mom several times as though she had walked into the room - in the hospital, and again when he came home with hospice care... (Mom passed away 25 years ago.) He would be talking to us one minute and greeting her the next...and that was before he gave permission for pain medications. He told us he had to go. 

Two nights before he died, he woke up from a sound sleep and was looking beyond his daughter, his face animated as he exclaimed, "Wow! Wow! Do you see that? It's so beautiful! Can you see the mountain?!? Wow!! It's just so beautiful!! " The next morning, we were talking with him and he said we had to get dressed for the wedding and he was concerned that not everyone had the right clothes on to go to the wedding. I am convinced he was seeing Heaven and referring to the wedding garment of Matthew 22. Yes, I'd say 'Wow!', too!

Prayer:

Father,

         Thank You for the comfort You bring to us with the promises in Your Word. And thank You for the proof and Truth You provide of our loved ones' place in eternity. Send people to water the Word that has been spoken and planted and Father, give the increase as You have also promised. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen