Prayers go out to the families and friends of Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson. At some point over the past few decades, these were household names. Whether we appreciated them (or not) for their talents or for the people that they were, the face of the entertainment industry has been drastically changed.
“Did they know Jesus?” I’ve heard this question several times over the past week. At a recent wake for a friend’s family member, I overheard the statement “I hope she knew the Lord.” Several years ago when my grandma passed away, Morgan asked me “Do you think she’s in heaven with Jesus?”
We nod, maybe say a little prayer that the person we knew did know Jesus and is in Heaven, and then we move on. But, really, isn’t it a little late for that question? Shouldn’t we know the answer – particularly of those that we love? Shouldn’t we ask that question before they die?
Now, there’s not a doubt in my mind that my grandma is in Heaven smiling down on us – or maybe shaking her head at us! I know that she knew Jesus and was looking forward to seeing her Maker. I remember when I was a little girl, she taught me the Lord ’s Prayer. I remember having a hard time with ‘hallowed be thy name’. I thought it should be ‘Our Lord be thy name’. Grandma told me ‘you can say that if you want to, but that’s not what the Bible says.’ I think about that every time I say it.
But that’s not always the case. Many times we hear of deaths, attend funerals or stand at the bedside of someone near the end and ask ourselves that question. What if we asked that question the week before … the month before … years ago? What would happen if we’d asked the question when there was time to do something about it? What if we asked that person the question, rather than someone standing beside us at their funeral?
Would it have made a difference? Perhaps not … but what if it could have. What if no one had told them about Jesus. What if they’d been told 20 times – but just needed to hear it once more. Perhaps they knew Jesus – and in knowing that, we could celebrate their new life with our Father without fear and doubt.
Think about the people in your life. Think about those that you want to see in Heaven one day. Do you know, without a doubt, that they will be there? If not – you could change that today with four little words … Do you know Jesus!
“Did they know Jesus?” I’ve heard this question several times over the past week. At a recent wake for a friend’s family member, I overheard the statement “I hope she knew the Lord.” Several years ago when my grandma passed away, Morgan asked me “Do you think she’s in heaven with Jesus?”
We nod, maybe say a little prayer that the person we knew did know Jesus and is in Heaven, and then we move on. But, really, isn’t it a little late for that question? Shouldn’t we know the answer – particularly of those that we love? Shouldn’t we ask that question before they die?
Now, there’s not a doubt in my mind that my grandma is in Heaven smiling down on us – or maybe shaking her head at us! I know that she knew Jesus and was looking forward to seeing her Maker. I remember when I was a little girl, she taught me the Lord ’s Prayer. I remember having a hard time with ‘hallowed be thy name’. I thought it should be ‘Our Lord be thy name’. Grandma told me ‘you can say that if you want to, but that’s not what the Bible says.’ I think about that every time I say it.
But that’s not always the case. Many times we hear of deaths, attend funerals or stand at the bedside of someone near the end and ask ourselves that question. What if we asked that question the week before … the month before … years ago? What would happen if we’d asked the question when there was time to do something about it? What if we asked that person the question, rather than someone standing beside us at their funeral?
Would it have made a difference? Perhaps not … but what if it could have. What if no one had told them about Jesus. What if they’d been told 20 times – but just needed to hear it once more. Perhaps they knew Jesus – and in knowing that, we could celebrate their new life with our Father without fear and doubt.
Think about the people in your life. Think about those that you want to see in Heaven one day. Do you know, without a doubt, that they will be there? If not – you could change that today with four little words … Do you know Jesus!
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