Last summer my relatives on my mom’s side of the family got together to celebrate my grandma’s 85th birthday. Prior to the event, my mom told me that my grandma had asked if I would preach a sermon at her birthday celebration. I usually try to relax and visit at events like this, but because my grandma asked, I preached a sermon. My grandma and I live far from each other and this was a rare chance for her to hear a message from her grandson.
Now my grandma is very ill. I don’t know how much more time she will have in this world, but it is probably measured in days, weeks or months instead of years. It is hard. And yet, at the same time, my family and I have the assurance that, because of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection on our behalf, life with Jesus does not end with our last breath here. Our bodies are laid in the ground, but our soul is alive and safe with Jesus. And one day in the future, Jesus will transform our bodies, raise them from the ground and reunite our body and soul together so that we will be fully human, fully alive and living in God’s presence as he always intended us to be. And so as the end of life in this world is approaching for my grandma (as it is for us all), I know that there is the promise of something more and better for her in the life to come.
Different people have asked me from time to time, ‘how do people live without having that hope?’ I don’t know the answer. I only know that such a hope is real and available to everyone free of charge through Jesus. He only asks that we trust in him for eternal life and it is ours. Thank you, Jesus!
I am so thankful that I fulfilled my grandma’s request last summer.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)
Farewell to Shadowlands 