March 17, 2021: Heading Home; Are You Ready to Meet Your Heavenly Father, Or Still Feeling Hopeless?

I am preparing to make a trip up north to visit my mother, who has recently turned eighty-six years old. For this past year she has been in ongoing pain and has mentioned to me on numerous times that she is ready to go home to meet her Heavenly Father.

She came to know her Lord and Heavenly Father over forty years ago. The Lord gave me the great privilege of leading my mother to her salvation in the Lord. My mother, since her first year of coming to salvation, has been a great "Light on a Hill". Every opportunity that our Heavenly Father brought her way to share the Good News of the Gospel, she was ready and willing to give her testimony and lead them to their Lord and Savior.

In today's reading of "Our Daily Bread" entitled "A Strong Heart", I was reminded that our time here on earth is a short time as compared to eternity. What we do with our time will be reviewed by our Heavenly Father. I can honestly say that my mother will be greeted by her Creator at the heavenly gates with the words; "Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord. (Matthew 25: 23 NKJV)

In Psalm 73, the psalmist Asaph, states that he is continually with his Lord, and that the Lord holds his hand and receives him to glory...and beings him home after his years of service.

Psalm 73: 23-24 (NIV)

Yet I am always with you;

You hold me by my right hand.

24 You guide me with your counsel,

and afterward You will take me into glory.

My mother is holding her Lord's hand now and He is ready to bring her home at His perfect time. Even though she may be in great pain, and her heart may fail her, and her faith may grow faint, her love for her Lord is always steadfast..."My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever". (Psalm 73: 26; NIV)

PERSONNAL COMMENT:

As we come to the end our time here on earth, let us be ready to meet our "Heavenly Father"...let us come to "full and absolute surrender" to our God. Let us not remain in "hopelessness". Let our lives be pleasing to our Lord so that we may hear the words as well; "Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord. "