Almost Heaven

“There are many homes up there where my Father lives, and I am going to prepare them for your coming. When everything is ready, then I will come and get you, so that you can always be with me where I am. If this weren’t so, I would tell you plainly.” John 14:2 (Living)

I don’t know what it is that Jesus is planning, but if He created this world in 6 days, I imagine heaven is going to be fantastic.

The first morning I was home, I was sitting around the table with my sister, Steph, who I had not seen for fifteen years – and isn’t it amazing how when you finally get together that it seems time goes out the window. It was like we had never been apart. I think when we reach the end of our days, life will be like that. It will have gone by so fast. Those choices we made from the perspective of “now” and “grab all the stuff now, while the getting is good” – will be deeply regretted. We need to make all our choices from eternity’s perspective. What will we think of this choice when we are at the end of our life? Only those things done with virtue and values and with character will be cherished.

But there we were, Steph, Wendy, Mom, Olivia, Raquel, Marta, and a few more, gathered around the table. Somehow or another we began to talk about spiritual things and how God has worked in our lives. The topic changed to demonic activity and each of us related some personal experiences and how God delivered us, usually though the power of the name of Jesus, or the Sword of the Lord – the bible. And as we shared and glorified God, I felt led to pray. So we did. We prayed for deliverance for many of our family and loved ones. God came down on us in a wonderful way. Mom started crying with joy. And the presence and power of God was tremendous.

As we prayed, I thought of mom’s influence. Wirt was a tough town in the old days. It started out named Rattlesnake Junction, not because there were rattlesnakes there, but because it was so tough. In one history book I read where a guy was let out of jail and thrown out of that town, and forcibly put on a train. When asked where he wanted to go, he said, “I don’t know. Send me to hell for all I care.” They sent him to Wirt.

I could tell you all kinds of stories about shootings and stabbings and killings. One of my great uncles was constable once and went into the tavern to restore a little order and was tossed out – minus his shirt. They tore it right off his back! It was a tough place. Mom grew up there. But when she was 22, God got ahold of her and changed, not only her life, but the life of many people and even the community, though her faith. She wasn’t a great witness or evangelist or public speaker, although she shared her faith to any who listened. She didn’t make a big show out of church or doing good works – although church and doing good was a big part of her life. What impacted people was her genuine love for the Lord and her commitment to Him. Her sincerity and genuineness and consistent lifestyle accomplished much more than many professional clergy could ever do. Wirt, when I was young, was dirt poor, ungodly, and seemed to be cursed of God. Now, primarily through the influence of this one life, Wirt is prosperous, God fearing, and blessed.