Craig Clouston

 

Unveiled Hope

December 31

Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.

1 Thessalonians 4:13

Mary Jane Phillips lay in a bed in her daughter’s kitchen, in the final stages of what appeared to be cancer. As her daughter cared for her, she sat up in bed and said, “Oh, my! There’s Mrs. Leonard!”

Everyone present was amazed as she named off several dead relatives and long-gone friends. It appeared as if Mary Jane was being given a view through the portals of Heaven. She continued to name people who were long-forgotten, even people who had passed away recently. And then, she said, “And Mrs. Sader, too!” at which point the family figured she must be hallucinating, because Mrs. Sader was very much alive. They had just spoken to her that morning.

Just then, the telephone rang and one of the girls answered it. A startled look crossed her face. As she hung up the phone, she announced in an astonished voice, “Mrs. Sader passed away just a little while ago!”

Only minutes later, Mary Jane Phillips joined Mrs. Sader as she met Jesus face-to-face.

†

This event changed my mother’s life, for having listened to her Grandmother speak so candidly about Heaven brought the certainty of its truth to her heart and spirit. She has never known a fear of dying because Grandma Phillips had unveiled the mystery of death to a six-year-old that day.

In this same way Paul wants us to know the hope he professes; that on the day God calls us home we will be greeted by our loved-ones and friends as we enter Heaven to be with Jesus.

Prayer

“Give me the certainty of my true home, Lord, and take away any vestiges of fear of death. Speak to my spirit of the reality of Heaven. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”