Hebrews 9:27-28

It was the spring of 2003. On the Wednesday night after the beginning of the Shock and Awe bombing of Baghdad, a tall man stood up during our mid week prayer meeting and said that maybe this action would open up the Middle-East to Christian missionaries and that he believed God wanted him to go.

Over the next months (and years) applications were made, training and qualifications were met, and finally he and his family moved into an Islamic country and began to share the Salvation story. While they were still at my church, the woman was a part of my FAITH visitation team. The oldest of their daughters was in Children's church where I worked.

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to spend some time with this man while they were home on a furlough. Because of the country where they served, he used an alias when talking to people in the US. He was "Clyde" and was a school teacher in the Middle-eastern country. The stories of lives being changed were absolutely mind boggling. These people that were finding faith in Jesus were giving up everything to trust Him. They risked their freedom; they risked their lives.

Sometimes their own families were the ones that turned them in...or tried to kill them.

Death is no respecter of persons. Whether death comes through persecution, by accident, by war, from disease or from old age--it claims all of us. Living has a 100% mortality rate.

Yesterday my ministry teammate passed away leaving behind her husband and two teenage daughters. ALS claimed her still young life. I am sad at the passing of this servant of God. I ache in my heart for her husband and girls. I know that she is rejoicing in heaven with her Risen Savior and am thrilled for her.

And yet...I am sad, too.

I love the quote from Stephen Covey that says, "We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey."
Sometimes, that is hard to remember.

My friend would be disappointed if I didn't ask the condition of your spiritual being. Our earthly lives will all come to an end. Our spirits are eternal. When this human journey ends and your spirit continues on, where will you be for eternity?

If you are not certain of your spiritual future, perhaps we should talk. Send me a message, leave a comment, call me. Let's get it figured out.

John <><

Just as people are destined to die once and after that to face judgement, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.  Heb 9:27-28