There Is No Goodbye
Ecclesiastes 3:14, “I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.”
Hello everyone! Say hello to another blessed day that we have been given to encounter, whether in positive or negative emotions. We know many times we systematically forget that positive thoughts even in negative circumstances can change the whole outlook. Today, let’s talk on goodbyes, the meaning, the reality, the truth of them. Though, at the time of saying them, they seem ordinary because we use the word whenever we leave the presence of someone, whenever we end a conversation on the phone, leave personal relationships, leave work at end of shifts, leaving home for a short time or longer; the list is endless. As a very caring and emotional person, I don’t like to say goodbye, I say, “see you later or just later”! It leaves no finality, no room for not seeing them again, whether here on earth or later on in heaven. Rev. Billy Graham had a view of death as not a final goodbye, but in his words, he told people that they shouldn’t believe it when they heard of his death, because he would only be getting a change of address! What a blessing that sentiment truly means; truly understanding that there are no goodbyes and that eternity will be in heaven. Dr. Seuss wrote, “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened”, which means we should be filled with happy emotions, that we lived a life, and that now we can leave this world and live with God in heaven! As saved children of God our hope is in being in His presence the day we leave this old body and are received by Him into heaven! We then are assured of a new body, a new home that is devoid of death, grief or pain. God also encouraged us to not mourn for loss here, “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning”; that they are not gone but have changed addresses! Many will say that death is only a temporary separation, as a simple “sleep”, not a finality or an end; a time of promises fulfilled; and it’s TRUE! The joy of eternal life with Jesus should remove all goodbyes. An unknown author wrote, “Goodbyes are not forever, are not the end; it simply means I’ll miss you until we meet again.” So, maybe from now on change the terms; use “see you later or later”, and realize, there really is no goodbye!
Scriptures:
Read: John 14:1-4,27, Matthew 5:4, Psalm 23:4, Ecclesiastes 3:1-15, Romans 15:13, Romans 8:17-18, John 11:25, John 3:16-17, Romans 8:28,35-39, I Thessalonians 5:18,23, II Thessalonians 3:16, Jeremiah 29:11, Psalm 37:5, John 16:16,20-23, Acts 20:32, I Thessalonians 4:12-17, I John 1:9
Prayer:
Dear Lord, we want to thank you for giving us the knowledge to accept, to understand, to believe in your promises of a heavenly home when we leave our earthly bodies. Lord, we want to thank you for everything, for every moment of grace and mercy you poured out to each of us. Help us, Lord, to find peace in times of sorrow, to rejoice in the fact that loved ones are no longer here in this sinful world but transformed into a new heavenly body, and are singing praises in your presence. Thank you, Lord, that there are no goodbyes, but that there are only, see you later. Amen.