My dear friends
Visits by friends are always special but something extra got
added when a Swiss friend Peter Wenger and his family sang the beautiful German song I
know so well,
"Ich sah einen neuen Himmel" (I saw a new heaven).
Heaven!
Surely, you know something of the apprehension about what
heaven is all about. Inwardly most of us asking together with Thomas, "Lord, how can
we know the way?"
A story that I read in 2002 comes to mind as I meditate on
these profound matters.
'ON THE OTHER SIDE
A sick man turned to his doctor, as he was preparing to
leave the examination room and said, "Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies
on the other side."
Very quietly, the doctor said, "I don't know."
"You don't know? You, a Christian man, do not know what
is on the other side?"
The doctor was holding the handle of the door; on the other
side of which came a sound of scratching and whining, and as he opened the door, a dog
sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness. Turning to the
patient, the doctor said, "Did you notice my dog? He's never been in this room
before. He didn't know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here,
and when the
door opened, he sprang in without fear. I know little of what is on the other side of
death, but I do know one thing...I know that Jesus my Master is there and that is
enough."'
Yes dear friends, Jesus is the way to our Father's home.
Thankfully, the Bible tells us enough about heaven to give
us an idea of what awaits but I am acutely aware that my mind is too limited to grasp
these things. Sometimes I get very excited as I ponder just a single aspect of what the
Word says about heaven.
A city that will need no light - the sun and moon will not
be there. God's glory will illuminate it and the Lamb will be its lamp. Mind-boggling!
This time as the Wengers sang the part that melted my heart
was the one about every tear being wiped away. Every tear?
Looking back, I wonder if I would ever have appreciated this
portion of Scripture as much as I do now if I had not experienced paralysis. Just being
unable to use your hands is no child's play.
Living with a trachea since May 2004 means that I have to
endure a lot of irritation around the throat area. Before I know what has happened tears
start flowing involuntarily. I am thankful for every time my carers notice the tears and
wipe them off. Sometimes they do not and I have to give them a sign to alert them to my
plight.
As it is tears on one's face are uncomfortable but now I
know what happens when they dry up and the salty remnants cause itchiness. And I cannot
raise a hand to deal with the itchy feeling.
Imagine some nights when I am awoken by an irritation that
leaves the face wet. I bless the hands that reach out to me in those wee hours. And then
to think of the heavenly hands, handkerchiefs and tissues on my face - out of this world!
What will our tears be about in heaven?
Probably there will be tears of joy. Making it to heaven
should be highest aim of every human being. However I believe that whoever gets to heaven
is overwhelmed by the awareness that only God's grace got them there.
Some of us have sung with misty eyes,
"I don't know why Jesus had to love me.
I don't know why He cared.
I don't know why Jesus had to sacrifice His life for me.
Oh but I'm glad; so glad He did!"
Can we ever imagine what it is to be a citizen of the
everlasting kingdom? The kingdom where ultimate peace reigns. Ultimate security. Ultimate
beauty.
What will it be like to live in that land where sin will be
no more? Perfect cleanliness. Perfect purity.
There will certainly be tears of gratitude.
As we shall understand God's plan more fully, see God's love
in heaven's light and revisit Calvary with from the Ivory Palaces words will fail us.
"Out of the ivory palaces,
Into a world of woe,
Only His great eternal love
Made my Savior go."
What about tears of remorse?
This reminded me of words from a song about how we shall
feel as we look into the Lord's beautiful face in glory,
"I'll wish I had given Him more."
Surely, tears will flow when we realise how much more the
Lord could have done in and through us.
Then there are faces that we shall miss. Some of them will
be those of our loved ones who refused our Lord's invitation. Some were almost persuaded
but then let the opportunity go by.
There will be tears in heaven but we are comforted to know
that every one of them will be wiped away.
Our Lord tells us clearly how different things are in hell.
People there will long for a drop of water but no one will give it to them. There the fire
is not quenched and the worm does not die.
In the light of these things it is only right that tears
should flow this side of the sunset; tears of genuine remorse for our sins and a
wholehearted turning to the Lord. In a way, for the contrite and broken-hearted the wiping
of tears begins this side already. It is such that receive the blessing of forgiveness and
comfort.
"He will wipe every tear from their
eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of
things has passed away." (Revelation 21:4)
Have a blessed weekend.
Pressing on!
In His love
Fano Sibisi
