Who’s Waiting for You?

There is a saying that says nothing in this world is certain except death and taxes. I disagree, but that is beside the point. It is almost time for the tax deadline. So, what about the other one? Let’s talk about death. Are you still with me? Thinking about death makes many people very uncomfortable so talking about is even worse. I used to be terrified of death. No more.

My maternal grandmother was a great Christian woman. Standing about five feet tall, Mammaw was a giant in her faith. After Pappaw died, she lived with family, including ours. She always knew her family and read her Bible daily. Her physical heath had deteriorated and it was difficult for her to walk and care for herself. My Aunt Marilyn was the primary caregiver of Mammaw after that, since Mammaw needed daily help and assistance walking. Basically Mammaw spent her days in a recliner in the living room after getting settled in. One morning before dawn my aunt and uncle were awaken by talking. It was Mammaw. She wasn’t in bed but had somehow managed to go to the living room. Her Bible was in her lap, her arms were lifted high over her head, face looking up, smiling widely, and she was loudly saying “I’m coming. I’m coming!” She was so excited. Before my aunt reached her Mammaw collapsed back in her chair and had met Jesus. Wow. Doesn’t that give you goosebumps?

A similar thing happened to my oldest aunt, a different one. She was in a nursing home and needed assistance to stand and walk. As an aide walked by her room, she found Aunt Kathleen standing straight up, looking up smiling brightly, holding both arms up over her head. The aide stepped into the room as Aunt Kathleen crumbled to the floor. She too was with Jesus. Awesome.

Of all the family stories about Jesus, I think this is the most touching. Setting up my Christian bookstore was a family affair. Even my five year old niece helped. We were shelving cards and I asked her “which card is your favorite?” She took my question seriously. Hopping up she went up and down the aisle of cards slowly. I expected a card with puppies, a rainbow, or perhaps little cherubs. No, even at five my niece was much deeper than that. She brought me a blue card with clouds featuring Jesus in the center. Intrigued I asked her why she picked that. “Because, Aunt Sissy, that’s how my Jesus will look in Heaven waiting for me.” She simply said. Out of the mouths of babes! “My Jesus waiting for me.”

So true. My young niece gets death. At five years old she knows about Jesus, death, and Heaven. We should all remember that death is not the ending. It is to be embraced with arms opened wide. We should be smiling and excited. It shouldn’t be rushed. We all have our appointed time. Make sure you know and serve Jesus. You definitely want Jesus waiting for you in Heaven like my sweet young niece said. Do you think He is?

“Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling…..come home, come home, he who are weary come home……”

2 Corinthians 5:6-8 “So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”

Philippians 3:20 “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ”