Have you been to the gates of Heaven? I sat and waited there for several days last week. You see, I was watching my mother in law go through. It was taking a while. So we waited. We prayed, we read scripture, we sang.
There is something about being at the gates of Heaven that brings you to your knees. It compels worship. It draws out prayer. And the focus is not on the one entering heaven’s gates, but the One that will be seen past the entrance.
He is bold and beautiful. Full of goodness and light. Glory to behold. Precious and priceless and perfect. He is holy, faithful and true. And ready to receive the ones waiting to enter the gates.
Oh, dying is no day at the park, don’t get me wrong. But it’s part of life. It’s something we’ve all gotta do. We may as well figure out how to do it right.
To die well, you have to live well. In order to look forward to death, you must know the Creator of Life. He holds every breath in His hands. If you know Him, death is almost a day at the park.
It’s just another day. It’s here, then there. It’s life on earth, then in heaven. Really no big deal if you have the perspective of eternal life and souls living on forever.
It would be wise of us to live in light of our certain death (everyone dies). We might make better life decisions if we made them in the light of eternity. What counts forever? What is fleeting?
It’s a beautiful place, Heaven’s gates. Not for the fainthearted. Watching a loved one go is bittersweet. But full of joy. There is blessing in knowing that the loved one’s faith in God will be fully realized. Jesus will be seen and fully known (1 Cor 13:12). For the eager believer, there couldn’t be a better day!
Embracing that day with confidence can only be done when we know Him. He prepares our hearts to see Him, and gives us a quiet trust to let go, and move through those gates.
“When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be, when we all see Jesus, we’ll sing and shout the victory!” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVh687Kcnbo&list=RDqVh687Kcnbo
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[suffusion-the-author display='description']2 Responses to “At the Gates of Heaven”
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So well written, Jodi, with so much meaning. I know my time is approaching and I hope I get to the Golden Gates. You have so much insight being as young as you are. I am sure your wonderful mom in law gave you inspiration for this piece. Thanks.
Thanks Jodi for your beautiful words:)