What is the Point?
Just recently my best friend's mother passed away, from a weakening in her immune system they believe due to diabetes. It all happened so quickly. Within one week he had gone from having his mother there to hold him in her arms, to preparing for the funeral. I met his mom once and she was a very lovely and godly lady, and he dearly loved her. While he was calling me to tell me his mom had passed away, my parents were visiting me here in England and I was enjoying their company. So it really hit me hard, because I think to myself that could be my parents at anytime.
I began to think to myself, what is the point of this life? If we just die. I thought, what would be the point in my buddy's mom to raise him with certain values; that he be a gentlemen and have a good reputation? If that was all there was to life, there would be no point to life, he would have nothing to live for, and definitely nothing to die for. But that is not the case with my friend, he has hope, a living hope, that he will one day see his mother again in a new and resurrected body.
Rev 21:1-7 (ESV) "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. "
Let me tell you there is hope. My friend has that eternal hope of a glorified body with Christ, just like his mom has received, and that God will wipe away all of his tears. He will have no more reason to cry for sickness, will never grip his mother ever again. There is a point to this life, we have a hope that this earth is not it, and that there is a life after this one that we shall never understand or comprehend until we reach that land. This life is only temporary, praise God.
Heb 11:13 "These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. "
We must live our lives as strangers here on this earth, though only seeing it from afar, we can rest assured that though strangers here, we will be residents of that holy city. As Christians to die is gain, to die is to be present with the Lord, and to see him in all of his glory, not through a glass darkly tinted. Though my friend's mom died, she did not die in vain, but is in a better place, in the arms of Christ, seeing his marvelous glory fully. My friend can rest assured that he will see his blessed mother again. Christ loves the death of his saints, because they come home to be with him, and to see all the great and wonderful things that he has prepared for them that love him.
Psa 116:15 "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints."
My friend can assure his mom of one thing, and that is one day he will meet her over in the glory land. There is no other thing that can be more assuring to a mother than to know that her son will one day rest from his labors here on earth in the arms of Christ. One of my favorite songs, that I love meditate on, because it reminds me of my own mothers love, and is one thing that I can assure my mother of, and I know that my friend assured his mother of this before she died:
"Tell Mother I'll Be There" by: Charles M. Finimore
When I was but a little child how well I recollect How I would grieve my mother with my folly and neglect;
And now that she has gone to Heaven I miss her tender care:
O Savior, tell my mother, I'll be there!
Though I was often wayward, she was always kind and good;
So patient, gentle, loving when I acted rough and rude;
My childhood griefs and trials she would gladly with me share:
O Savior, tell my mother, I'll be there!
When I became a prodigal, and left the old rooftree, She almost broke her loving heart in mourning after me;
And day and night she prayed to God to keep me in His care:
O Savior, tell my mother, I'll be there!
One day a message came to me, it bade me quickly come If I would see my mother ere the Savior took her home;
I promised her, before she died, for Heaven to prepare:
O Savior, tell my mother, I'll be there!
Tell mother I'll be there, in answer to her prayer;
This message, blessed Savior, to her bear!
Tell mother I'll be there, Heaven's joys with her to share;
Yes, tell my darling mother I'll be there.
I began to think to myself, what is the point of this life? If we just die. I thought, what would be the point in my buddy's mom to raise him with certain values; that he be a gentlemen and have a good reputation? If that was all there was to life, there would be no point to life, he would have nothing to live for, and definitely nothing to die for. But that is not the case with my friend, he has hope, a living hope, that he will one day see his mother again in a new and resurrected body.
Rev 21:1-7 (ESV) "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. "
Let me tell you there is hope. My friend has that eternal hope of a glorified body with Christ, just like his mom has received, and that God will wipe away all of his tears. He will have no more reason to cry for sickness, will never grip his mother ever again. There is a point to this life, we have a hope that this earth is not it, and that there is a life after this one that we shall never understand or comprehend until we reach that land. This life is only temporary, praise God.
Heb 11:13 "These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. "
We must live our lives as strangers here on this earth, though only seeing it from afar, we can rest assured that though strangers here, we will be residents of that holy city. As Christians to die is gain, to die is to be present with the Lord, and to see him in all of his glory, not through a glass darkly tinted. Though my friend's mom died, she did not die in vain, but is in a better place, in the arms of Christ, seeing his marvelous glory fully. My friend can rest assured that he will see his blessed mother again. Christ loves the death of his saints, because they come home to be with him, and to see all the great and wonderful things that he has prepared for them that love him.
Psa 116:15 "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints."
My friend can assure his mom of one thing, and that is one day he will meet her over in the glory land. There is no other thing that can be more assuring to a mother than to know that her son will one day rest from his labors here on earth in the arms of Christ. One of my favorite songs, that I love meditate on, because it reminds me of my own mothers love, and is one thing that I can assure my mother of, and I know that my friend assured his mother of this before she died:
"Tell Mother I'll Be There" by: Charles M. Finimore
When I was but a little child how well I recollect How I would grieve my mother with my folly and neglect;
And now that she has gone to Heaven I miss her tender care:
O Savior, tell my mother, I'll be there!
Though I was often wayward, she was always kind and good;
So patient, gentle, loving when I acted rough and rude;
My childhood griefs and trials she would gladly with me share:
O Savior, tell my mother, I'll be there!
When I became a prodigal, and left the old rooftree, She almost broke her loving heart in mourning after me;
And day and night she prayed to God to keep me in His care:
O Savior, tell my mother, I'll be there!
One day a message came to me, it bade me quickly come If I would see my mother ere the Savior took her home;
I promised her, before she died, for Heaven to prepare:
O Savior, tell my mother, I'll be there!
Tell mother I'll be there, in answer to her prayer;
This message, blessed Savior, to her bear!
Tell mother I'll be there, Heaven's joys with her to share;
Yes, tell my darling mother I'll be there.
posted by James | 8:52 AM
3 Comments:
If the point of this life is the next life, then what is the point of the next life?
You really challenge me to think. You make me think about things that I haven't ever thought about.
Our purpose in this life is to glorify God number one, but it is also to look forward to the coming life. I have never really thought about or looked into scripture about what the point of the next life is. I believe that it is simply to praise God forever, but with complete freedom from sin. So we will be able to perfectly praise God, with out the hamperment of a sinful flesh.
Could you give me some scripture references to research this? I am really interested. Thanks.
The point of this life and the next life are the same.
I believe you will find it in meditation on these verses:
Philip. 1:19-26 (ESV)
for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, [20] as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. [21] For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. [22] If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. [23] I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. [24] But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. [25] Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, [26] so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.
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