It amazes me how quickly life can end. In a second, the person standing beside you could die without warning and they’re gone forever. They no loner exist here and the finality of that is beyond our control and painful. The laughs, the talks and experiences will only be memories to think back on as you wish death didn’t exist. But it does. It’s one of the curses of this world as a consequence to Adam and Eve’s sin.
I haven’t seen my Dad in two years but my faith tells me exactly where he is. The hardest part is not being able to hear him talk to me again and tell me he loves me or that I did a good job. I ask God to send him messages from time to time so I have a hope that he knows I think of him often. But does he know what’s going on in our lives? Does he have any idea what’s happened here since he left?
In Luke 15:10 it says that there is “rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents”. It doesn’t say the angels rejoice, it says that rejoicing is going on in their presence. So who’s doing all the celebrating? Maybe the family and friends of those who have go on before us? And if they’re celebrating, wouldn’t that mean they know exactly what’s going on down here?
In Hebrews 12:1-2, the scripture says to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us” since we are “surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses”. A “witness” is someone who sees something happen. Someone who is watching. Could this mean angels? Of course, there are many types of angels for very specific duties. There are messenger angels, worshipping angels, warrior angels, guardian angels, death angels, ministering angels and avenging angels which carry God’s judgement. To me it makes sense that those that rejoiced over us in the “presence of the angels” upon salvation were also the ones witnessing our race to it’s finish and encouraging us to continue on as they did until their journey was over.
I’ve been curious of Heaven more so since my father’s passing. Sometimes it seems too awesome to be true, but if I believe the Bible and I have faith in God, it means this world isn’t the only place where I’ll see my father again. In Acts Chapter 7, Stephen, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked to the sky and saw into heaven. He saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Because he was “full of the Holy Spirit” he crossed dimensions into a parallel universe and saw another reality. The book of Revelation is filled with descriptions of Heaven and what waits for us on that side of life. In Chapter 6, verses 9 and 10, Paul writes that he “saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained.They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”” Clearly, these souls know what’s happening here on earth because they are waiting for God to take their vengeance.
But isn’t heaven is supposed to be a “happy place”? Why would the martyrs be waiting for vengeance and justification for their wrongful deaths? That doesn’t sound happy. I haven’t come across any scripture that says heaven is a “happy place”. What we know is that heaven is the freedom from sin and full of peace and rest because God dwells there. Peace doesn’t mean everything is perfect, peace is the presence of God. Peace is a state of being amidst conflict. In Matthew 5:17-20, the writer explains that until earth AND heaven pass away, the law is still in effect. So this current heaven has to pass away first and then, in the new heaven and on the new earth, when everything is accomplished and fulfilled, “God shall wipe away all the tears from their eyes: and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” (Rev 21:4)
Jesus never said that he prepared a place for us, he said “I’m going to prepare a place for you”. So, doesn’t that mean he’s still working on it? Work is being done in Heaven and I believe those that have gone before us have been handpicked by Him for specific reasons to help in that preparation. In the family of God everyone has their duties, just like in a natural family. God controls time and he knows birth dates and death dates. He also knows what souls He needs at certain times. I believe my Dad was one of those called because he completed his work here. He proved himself here and he’s graduated to work on those heavenly things. My Dad was promoted by the best boss that ever lived to fulfill a mission that he was created to accomplish. My Dad built houses and fixed things on earth and everything he did, he did with integrity and the best standards possible. He took pride in his work and he worked hard for others and his family. The only difference now, he’s building things in Heaven and helping in the preparations using the best materials and designs ever created.
God and his angels know the state of this world and how bad it’s getting. They know the day of judgement is coming soon and Heaven has to be ready for the war that’s going on over every soul and situation. Heaven has to be prepared to take on all the new souls that will be entering and they’re busy working. My Dad is a part of that elite team chosen to help Jesus “prepare a place” as are all our loved ones who have gone on before us and have Jesus as their personal savior.
So, do I think my Dad can see what’s going on down here? He may not see everything but he definitely knows what’s going on because he’s waiting for us. All of Heaven is waiting for us. Every soul there is waiting for us and for “the former things to pass away”. They’re waiting to rejoice over those that turn their lives over to Jesus and they’re helping in the preparations for when we finally come home. If Jesus, the one whose example we follow, intercedes for us ( Rom 8:34) why wouldn’t everyone else be interceding for us? I’m sure my dad would intercede for us. And to be able to intercede for us, I believe he sees exactly what he needs to to help us until we’re there with him
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Becoming Invincible 