2008-02-14, about 2:00 AM local time, a dear father left all, and all
this world ... behind.
 

I had been asked, by his daughter, to 'visit him in the hospital,
before he died', and to 'plead' with him, to trust in Jesus, for his
salvation ... as she had cause to be concerned about his eternal
state. His daughter really loved her father greatly, but indicated
that her dad seemed to resist 'her pleadings'.

Her concern went like this: Her father seemed to be trusting mostly in
his own goodness, repeatedly claiming that he never hurt anyone ...
and was resistant to the claims of Jesus to be very Emanuel, God with
us ... The daughter was concerned that her dad was thereby rejecting
the Saviour and His free gift of eternal salvation.

Being made aware of the possible shortness of that dear man's time
still with us, and having had opportunity, in the last several months,
to spend several days in their home and listen to them ... and their
concerns, and complaints ... with the soon departing man's invitation,
(by phone), I visited him in the hospital and expressed his daughter's
and my concern.

I pleaded like this ...that just like a child may deny their parents,
or vice versa ... it doesn't change the irreversible 'by birth'
reality ... but that relationship will be hurt.  So we risk our saving
relationship, with Jesus, if we deny Him and deny who He really is ...
The I AM, Emanuel, God with us ... the only One given by God for our
salvation.

(You may recall that Jesus said that He was the same One who appeared
to Abraham, Moses and David, and had promised David that He would yet
be David's son ... to sit on David's throne forever.)

Having said to the soon departing ... that we all need forgiveness of
sins, and that our big problem seems to be that we don't recognize God
as God ... nor do we realize that we don't love God the way He would
have us to love Him .. as one might a dear father ... and that a
funeral, even though filled with many tears, is also as a wedding
celebration, for those with ... and trusting in Jesus ...

I asked if I might pray with him, that God would make anything further
known to him, that God might want him to know ... and that this dear
man would have a good night's rest.
 

When someone leaves this world, a most grievous question needing a
measured answer often is ... 'Where is this loved one now?'  And ...
'On what basis can I know it?'

If we will indeed take Jesus as our Saviour, and come as a little
child would come for help to an adult, we may then be encouraged by
this best encouragement, told to King David when his child died ...
"I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me."

If we have come to have laid up a very dear treasure in heaven, won't
it help turn our hearts toward there?
 
 

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above,
where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on
things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your
life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall
appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication,
uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and
covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of
God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also
walked some time, when ye lived in them.

But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy,
filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing
that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the
new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that
created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor
uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all,
and in all.

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of
mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a
quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are
called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and
admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord
Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. (Colossians 3:1-17)