04/23/2024
My mother has a friend who had a near-death experience. He shared it with her. He remembered feeling as if he were walking up stairs. He saw light. He never saw an angel nor Jesus, but that’s because it wasn’t time for him to go. He approached a great divide. A hand blurred in front of his face, and it told him, “No. This is as far as you can go. It isn’t time yet.” He said he almost couldn’t describe the immediate feeling of peace— overwhelming peace, and he begged not to go back. He did, though, and it changed his life. His wife passed away recently on a Friday. He was at church on Sunday. Out of concern, a friend asked how he was doing. He told the person, “I’m great.” Odd response at the time, right? You know why he said it? Because he knows exactly where his wife is and a little of the feeling of peace she has. He was happy for her, and he knows he will see her again. Heaven is real, my friends! Jesus is real. Knowing I have to celebrate my sister’s 45th birthday on Friday without her fills me with anxiety and overwhelming grief. The pain of losing her isn’t as raw, but I will mourn her loss every day for the rest of my life. I can’t say, “I’m great,” quite yet as my mother’s friend did, but I’m at peace knowing how much peace she has. The gratitude I feel for the Lord letting my sister be at peace eternally is my salvation from despair! Won’t you give your life to God and rest assured you will cross a great divide one day and won’t want to ever come back?