#211 (5/12) - A SATURDAY Special - Gone HOME to Dance With Jesus!

Dear friends,

Several weeks ago, I learned that someone who had been a student when I ministered at her campus in Hawaii over 30 years ago went Home to be with the Lord suddenly one night. Her name was Karolyn and I’ve read of how from friends of hers from back then are struggling with her passing. Their grief reminds me of what I went through 36 years ago, the first time a Christian I knew died.

I had been a Christian less than 3 years but was in full-time Christian service and attending a national conference of others in the ministry that was held in Fort Collins, Colorado. It was several days before the conference itself was to begin, and I passed a co-worker in a dorm laundry room. I barely greeted her but left thinking that there would be lots of time to talk in the days ahead. Well, the following day, she and a group of other women left for a short retreat in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. While they were there, there was a historically huge rainstorm upriver from where they were staying and the floodwaters that resulted barreled through their area, sweeping away everything in their path before any warning could be issued. Days later, they found the bodies of 7 of the women, including my co-worker June.

Obviously, this tragedy cast a dark shadow over our conference and what was supposed to be an enjoyable time of reunion and learning. (It often seems that the lessons God wants to teach us, that impact us most, occur not from what a teacher might say or a book might reveal, but from our life experiences.) I remember simply being in a daze during the week that followed, trying to understand why God would take my friend and the other women who were all only in their twenties – with their entire lives seemingly ahead of them – and who were such gifted servants of His. I had rarely been so bewildered in my life and felt as though my relatively young faith was being severely tested. But even as I struggled, I felt embarrassed to share my struggle with anyone and just isolated myself from others.

I remember on the day of the memorial service for our sisters in Christ, I sat near the very top of the huge gymnasium in which the thousands of us had gathered. I recall being shocked and almost repulsed when there was a log of singing of praise songs as the service opened. It all just made me confused as to why we could praise God when someone we know had been taken from us. I don’t remember really listening to any of the speakers until the head of our ministry, Dr. Bill Bright, went to the podium. I was sitting so high up in the stands that I could barely see him. But then, at the height of his remarks, he looked up at where I was sitting, and I saw this huge smile break out on his face. And what he said then I don’t think I’ll ever forget. As I remember it, he said, “Imagine that you have been on a long journey and your boat comes ashore to land and the first person that greets you is Jesus. THAT’S what has happened to our dear friends. They are now WITH JESUS! Even if they could return to us, they wouldn’t want to.”

Hearing those words and looking at Dr. Bright’s beatific smile, the truth of it all suddenly hit me. YES!,that was why I didn’t need to grieve for June and the other women. I could grieve that I would not have their company in this life again but I could not – should not – grieve for them. They were Home. As Jesus said in John 11: 25-26:
(25) “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;(26) and whoever lives and believes in me, will never die.”

Until then, the promise of Heaven and eternity with God was just a concept I believed in. Suddenly, it was truth and it was reality – for the believer. And that is why our time in this life is never better spent than helping as many as possible to know the Truth that is Jesus so that they too can live this life in grace and truth and be assured of their eternal Home.(I'm very sure that by the end of that service, I was singing with quite a bit of gusto.)

Finally, I remember several years ago that another friend suddenly died and passed from my life. As I walked across a parking lot heading for my car, I remember being filled with grief and sadness. Suddenly, I felt the Spirit directing me to look up at the sky and there I saw a picture of Jesus, and he was dancing with my friend! I remember then, my sadness just melting away and I just stood there with the biggest smile on my face.

One day, every believer in Jesus will also get a chance to dance with Jesus! Picture that and tell me you don’t smile.

To Karolyn: You dance, girl! - Stan

P.S.-I'd like my gravemarker to say: "Gone HOME to Dance With Jesus!"