Someone once said that most Americans don't believe we will die. If we did, we would talk about it more. So either we don't believe it, or we are fearful about it - so we don't talk about it. If we could unmask it a bit though, maybe we can be better prepared and live with a different perspective.
If you are fortunate to have a loving family - perhaps there have been times you have made a family trip to a place you all love. In a larger family, usually people are traveling from different places to get to the place that everyone loves. Some are able to leave on Wednesday - and they get there early. Lucky ones. Others can't get away until Sunday afternoon - so they'll arrive later. The one's who aren't there yet can see the place in their mind's eye and love thinking about how wonderful the place is. Furthermore, they love thinking about the family members who have already been able to get there because they know the joy of the place. They're already having walks on the beach on a clear morning or dinners on the patio looking over the mountains while the conversation along with the wine and the love flows among them. Some were on a schedule that enabled them to arrive early, others were on a schedule that got them there later. The ones who were able to get there first feel so grateful for the joy of it, but they wait for the others to arrive so the joy will be fuller. The ones who have to travel later miss not being there, but they can see and feel the joy of it as they think about the family that are already there. Then a day will come when everyone is finally there. That's the best day of all. The fullest joy.
Could getting to heaven be something like this? Different travel schedules, anticipating joy, loving reunion, that lasts forever? It's encouraging to me. Jesus went first, the rest of the family will come in their own time.
