Life After Death

Today, we bury my friend's little boy. This is only the second time I have attended a visitation or funeral of a child. It is every parent's nightmare. As parents, we never want to have to do this. In honor of Max, instead of wearing black and dressing up, we are wearing jeans and superhero t-shirts. It is what he would have wanted. 

I was thinking this morning about life after death. I believe with all of my heart, that if you have Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, when you die, you go to Heaven. I also fully believe that all children are covered by this and are there. Even my twins who were not old enough to even know who Jesus was. I believe they are up there waiting for me.

In 2 Corinthians 5: 6-8 Paul said this, "6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord."

When we are here, in our body, we are away from the Lord. He said to be away from the body is to be at home with the Lord. So, I think when we die, we go straight to heaven. 

If you don't know Paul's story. He used to be a person who killed Christians. When he met Jesus on the road, his entire life was changed. Even his name. (He used to be Saul.) Because he was so bold about the Good News, he was always in jail, being beaten up, ship wrecked, chained to soldiers, you name it, he went through it. So, when he wrote this to the church at Philippi, I'm sure he really meant it.

Philippians 1: 23-24,"23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body."

He was ready to go to heaven. He was tired and had been through a ton of stuff. He knew that when it was his time, he would go. I said the other day that I do not believe God causes bad things to happen to people. God did not GIVE Max Kawasaki Disease. Therefore, I do not believe God caused these bad things to happen to Paul either. He was being persecuted for his faith. He was longing for life after death because he knew it would be so much better.

We miss Max terribly. My friend said she felt like she left him somewhere and has called for him to come to the kitchen a few times. My heart aches for them. I can not imagine how they must feel and how much they miss him. Thankfully, God promises to comfort those who mourn. I believe He is a promise keeper and He will do just that. Please pray today for this family and all who Max touched. He was a special little boy.