Thursday, August 27, 2009

How Many People Do You Know In Heaven?

One of the top-selling novels several years ago was titled "The Five People You Meet In Heaven", by Mitch Albom. I will confess to having never read the novel and to having no great insight into Mr. Albom's theology. However, the title is intriguing on it's own! Last night, I was reminded of the title to the book, when our pastor, Chad Selph, was talking about a funeral he was preparing to conduct. He made the statement that as he looked at his life, he had begun to realize that in the not too distant future, he would know more people in heave than he knew on earth. As I returned home, I realized he was right. Over the past 55 years, I have had the privilege to know and love more people than I could ever have deserved. These people have had a profound impact on my life, as I hope I have had on theirs. However, as I contemplate the people I have known, I realize that many of these people have gone from this life to the next and that Chad was right...I might know more people in heaven that here on earth! As I thought about this, some of those people were drawn to my mind. I thought I would share a few of those people that I am looking forward to seeing on that day that I journey from this earthly life and into the next.

One of the people I know in heaven and I look forward to seeing is my grandfather, G. E. Miller. He was my Papaw and I have missed him everyday since that day in August of 1973. He took me to my first State Fair of Texas and fed me my first Fletcher's corny dog! He took me on my first fishing trip and always let me drive the boat. He made the best chili ever made and he always ate it with Hydrox cookies (for the uninitiated that was Texas-made cookie that was exactly like an Oreo...only better!) But the main thing he did for me was to show me how a grandfather should love his grandson. I want to see him and tell him all about my wife, Anita and his great grandchildren, Alicia, Mark, Tim and Meghan. I want to tell him about his great-great grandsons, Mark and Luke and watch him smile when he hears all about them.

I will also get to see a man named Jerry Ray. Jerry was an evangelist who had a heart for lost people and for discipling God's people. He is the man who lead me to the Lord. Jerry died when before he was forty years old and left a family and friends to ask why. I still don't know the answer to that question, but I know the God who holds that answer and all others and I trust Him. I want to tell Jerry thank you!

I'll get to see a little girl named Kristen Kirk. Kristen only lived a few short years, but she touched the lives of an entire church and community. Her trust in a God she knew was waiting for her shamed all of us. At the end of her life she met her Savior with open arms. I have always prayed for the same grace we saw in Kristen and I want to tell her how much we all loved her.

There are so many others that I will see again. There will also be others who come after I am gone. However, the one person I look forward to seeing more than anyone else is my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! I doubt that I will even have words to speak at that moment. I want to touch His hands and look into His face and know that I will spend eternity with Him!

As I think about it, I realize that the real objective in our lives should be to tell the good news of Jesus Christ to as many lost people as we can while we are here. And if you think about it, that will only increase the number of people you know in Heaven! So, who do you know in heaven?

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