By Dr. Rebekah McCloud
The last week of her life, Momma told me once again about her vision of heaven. It was a beautiful sight. It was a place without pain or suffering, a place of joy and peace. A place of rest at the feet of Jesus. With a shout and tears of joy, Momma told me “you see me now, but one day soon, I’ll be gone up yonder.” The song says,
“If you want to know
Where I’m going, Where I’m going, soon
If anybody ask you
Where I’m going, Where I’m going, soon
I’m goin’ up yonder, To be with my Lord
I can take the pain
The heartaches they bring, The comfort in knowing
I’ll be gone soon
As God gives me grace, I’ll run this race
Until I see my Savior, Face to face
I’m goin’ up yonder, To be with my Lord.”
I was strengthened by the faith Momma had that she could trust in Jesus and that Glory would one day be her home. Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Grace, can we trust and hope in Jesus? Just ask Jeremiah who reminds us that “blessed is the man who trusts in Jesus” and Job who said, “though he slay me, yet will I hope in him.” Amen.
The word confidence is used 60 times in the Bible. The word trust appears 134 times and the word hope is mentioned 129 times. As Christians, can we really have confidence, trust and hope? Yes and Amen. John 20:29 in part says, “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
My sister once asked me how we can be sure we are going to heaven. I told her by God’s mercy and grace—not any of our deeds—we will make it in. Jesus said he was going to prepare a place for us and will take us to be there with him. He said it and I believe it.
Grace, we are living in perilous times. Yet, this is not a time to despair, but a time for renewed confidence, trust and hope in the Lord. Amen.
One of my favorites passages on this subject is in John, chapter 11. Jesus went to the home of Martha and Mary after the death of their brother, Lazarus’. The sisters were upset that Jesus had not come earlier and were convinced that it is too late. Jesus said to Martha in John 11:40 “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” You know the rest of the story, Jesus calls Lazarus and he come out of the grave.
Martha and Mary learned a valuable lesson through this incident; wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:13-14 says, “I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.
Momma knew this lesson well. Although over the last few months her health declined and her body was racked with pain, she waited. Regardless of the situation, Momma believed in and trusted God and she never complained.
I’m reminded of 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. It says, “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” Amen.
Norman Hutchins sings, “Stay in the race, keep a steady pace, keep your eyes on Jesus, and you will be just fine, (and I will receive a great reward).” George Jones sings, “You’ve got to run to win the race. Go along the way and quick the pace. You got to bear a cross if you want to wear a crown.”
The New Testament talks about five heavenly crowns. 1 Corinthians talks about the imperishable crown, 1 Thessalonians the crown of rejoicing, 2 Timothy the crown of righteousness, 1 Peter the crown of glory and James the crown of life. I believe, Momma is up yonder, wearing her crown. Amen.
One of Momma’s favorite Bible verses was Psalm 34:1, “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.”
Grace, do we have the confidence, trust and hope of a 95-year-old? Can we say without a shadow of a doubt that we will look upon his face? We’ll be there to sing forever of his saving grace. We’ll walk the streets of glory and there lift our voice; cares all past, home at last ever to rejoice? Can we say it? Can we say I’m going up yonder and get my crown? Can we say it? Amen.