I’ve been thinking about heaven this week. 

First, I’ve been learning a song on the piano called “The Border of Life.” It’s a beautifully reflective piece about that thin veil between heaven and earth.

Second, I’ve been painting a picture of “heaven and earth” at the request of one of my long-time subscribers, Esther, to go with a Bible verse that says: 

“Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19).

My miniature painting features angels in heaven with watering cans pouring out water on earth to grateful farmers and umbrella-carrying city-dwellers. You can watch the 1-minute clip of my painting and playing here: 
https://youtube.com/shorts/AXMsZV7flxg

Third, my dear sister-in-law Linda passed away this week. We buried her body yesterday, but I can say with confidence her soul will live on. 

Two years ago Linda asked me to baptize her. She wanted to honor and affirm her baptism from when she was young, and express again her deep faith in Christ. I was happy and honored to do it. 

You can watch a 30-second clip of her baptism here: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vXTp-TgVBo

It was a sweet memory to recall her baptism while at her funeral. What seems so permanent all around us is really just so temporary. As Teilhard de Chardin has said:

“We are not human beings having a temporary spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a temporary human experience.”

And finally, today marks my own 38th anniversary of putting my faith in Christ. I have never looked back on that decision with anything but thankfulness, as He is worthy of following all the days of my life.

If you’ve never put your faith in Christ, I’d like to encourage you to do it today—right now—even while you’re reading this message! There’s no better time than this very moment to start your new life with Christ! The God of the universe would love to overwhelm you with His love by just reaching out to Him in faith.

And if you’ve already put your faith in Him, you can be confident that when the end comes, Jesus will welcome you, too, with WIDE OPEN ARMS… just as He has welcomed Linda and my late wife, Lana, and all who have gone before us who have also put their faith in Him. As the apostle John said: 

“I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may KNOW that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).

Keep trusting in Him for EVERYTHING in your life. He’d love nothing more than to wrap you in His loving arms.

Father, thank You for the lives of Linda and Lana, as well as their deep faith in You. Thank You for saving me 38 years ago when I reached out to You by faith, too. And Lord, thank You for every person who is reading these words right now, whether they’ve put their faith in You already or You’re prompting them to do so now. Let no one miss this GRAND opportunity to reach out to You, take hold of You, and let You take hold of them. We thank You for all this, and heaven, too. In Jesus’ name, Amen.