Skip to main content

Heaven isn't for everybody...

Well, let me rephrase that. Heaven isn't going to BE for everybody. It was designed for everyone.

Heaven is the most wonderous place none of us has ever been. The Bible depicts it, scholars have done their best and even a few people claim to have been and returned. But only those walking there right now truly know the magnitude of its grandeur. 

This past week, America lost the iconic Betty White. She brought the world to tears of laughter nearly every time she stepped onto a stage or appeared on our tv screens. Her laughter was infectious. Her concern for animals endearing. And her ability to disarm even the most seasoned Hollywood actor was unforgettable.

What catches me off guard every time a celebrity passes away is the quotes, memes and photos depicting said celebrity in heaven. Here are a few from Betty's passing...



Don't hate me yet! I promise there is no malice intended nor do I intend to speak ill of the departed.

The issue I have is with declaring that someone clearly must be in heaven when they pass away because they were a good person. That is not how access to heaven is granted.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:9

According to Romans 3:23, "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."

BUT, there is hope. There is salvation. THROUGH God's Son. And ONLY through His Son. We just celebrated Christmas and were reminded of the first Noel. We celebrated that this tiny Child was sent to be the Savior for a fallen world. We also know what others didn't understand at that time. That tiny Child would be a sacrificial Lamb which would provide us all access to heaven if we so choose to follow Him.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Being good, kind, loving and caring is wonderful. It is needed in a hurting and broken world. But it will NOT get you into heaven solely because you behaved that way. Laughter might be the best medicine, but it won't heal a depraved soul.

Colossians 2:8-9 reminds us: "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast."

I don't know the condition of Betty White's soul. Or that of John Madden's who passed away days before Betty. Or that of any other celebrity, really.

But, I am pretty sure I knew the condition of the soul of a man who passed away just a few weeks before Christmas. I and my father had the privilege of getting to spend some of his last moments with him and his family, praying over him and listening to the family share precious memories about their father/husband/brother. They spoke of his deep faith, his love of others, even the little Bible that was always in his hand. He led his family with grace and love and the Lord's wisdom the best he knew how. 

Friends, it's not in how many you know, how many good things you accomplish, how many people you give money to at the corner, how many children you sponsor, how many people you make laugh. 

IT IS THE CONDITION OF YOUR SOUL.

Please don't go to bed without knowing you'll wake up walking in heaven beside the Savior. It won't matter that someone doesn't make a meme to celebrate your passing. Trust me. You will not care once you're there!


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Unemployed - Part Two

In my last post I mentioned this would be the "rest of the story". I realized a bit ago that this actually is just the middle of the story as God hasn't shown me the "rest" yet. Again, I'm not going to go through and edit this. Again, I'm just being real, typos and all. Where we left off, I'd left my job and now you understand why more fully. It was my mental health or working for her. I chose health. A few weeks before I left, I'd heard a song by my current favorite band, Unspoken. If you know me well, you'll know that I latch onto one specific band or artist and stick with them on a constant loop of their songs until another band sneaks in. I've been listening to Unspoken on that loop for about six months now. Coincidence? Nah. I worked for her for five months. One month prior the Lord started infiltrating my head with life-giving music. He knew.  One song, Sleep in the Storm, hit me hard a few weeks ago. It is the telling of the story ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Dumb Sheep?

My dad shared this video with me recently and I feel in love with it all over again.  It is one I've seen before, but watching it again was beautiful. In my bible study group recently, we discussed how it is impossible to trust someone that you don't know.  Most people (though we all know that one person that would) don't immediately tell someone everything about their life upon your first meeting.  You probably don't tell that person a lot even in the next few meetings.  You get to know the person.  You learn about them, what they like to do, their family, dislikes, friends, etc.  We spend time getting to know them. Back to the sheep and their shepherd---watching this video was amazing.  These sheep knew better than to answer to anyone else, but their shepherd.  They knew his voice.  They knew his ways.  And they trusted him.  The second he started calling to them, their heads lifted.  HE was their guide.  They hav...
Post a Comment
Read more

Timing is everything, right?

That's what the old adage says, right?  Timing is everything? I guess it depends on what we're talking about.  Timing meant a lot to thousands of people on 9/11.  Timing means a lot to athletes.  Timing means a lot when words are spoken. So what about the Lord's timing?  I saw a quote today that read:  His timing is rarely ours, but it's always perfect. (Amy Carroll, author) Hmm...in my deepest places in my heart, I believe that.  But, at the surface, sometimes I question.  Yeah, I'm REALLY human! :) The devotional I've been doing is one for writers and has been really encouraging, enlightening and interesting.  I was encouraged to write a timeline of my life events to see if I could piece together where it was the Lord is guiding my life...how He is using me in ministry.  (We are ALL ministers that love and follow Christ, by the way.)  So, let's look at my timeline for a sec: *began working in the youth group at First Ass...
Post a Comment
Read more