From Esther
Friday, February 17th, 2006I have been thinking a lot about Heaven lately. I try and imagine Zack there. The picture that most often comes to mind is him riding his Harley in the clouds. Or maybe playing soccer. Or sitting around a campfire. I always picture him outside, in God’s creation that he loved.
What I have been thinking about most is what I am going to do with the rest of my life on earth that I have to live without my brother. It feels overwhelming to think of how much I miss him. I imagine myself doing alone all the things I was planning to do with him. There are things in my life that will never be the same because Zack won’t be here to share them with me.
But when I think about how Zack lived his life, it helps me to know how to live the rest of mine. Zack never missed an opportunity. An opportunity to spend time with a friend or family member. To travel. To ride his Harley. To play soccer. To share the gospel. I know that if he could talk to me right now he would tell me to never miss an opportunity in my life. Every day when I wake up and get out of bed I am going to miss my brother. Some days I probably won’t want to get out of bed because I miss him so much. But he would want me to keep on living, so that is what I will do. He told me countless times while he was sick, and even right before he died, “You will be fine.” And I know I will.
The one thing that has comforted me most is thinking about being in Heaven with Zack one day.
I have been trying to look at life through Heaven’s eyes. When I do that, I realize that my time on earth is short, especially in the perspective of eternity. Therefore, the time I spend here on earth without Zack is going to be the blink of an eye compared to the eternity that I will spend with him in Heaven. Although this doesn’t take the pain away, it gives me something to look forward to. I know that when I die Zack will be waiting in Heaven to greet me.
The verses below have really encouraged me. I hope it does the same for you all.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (New International Version)
13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.
I wanted to thank all of you for your prayers. It seems at times I could reach out and touch them; they are so real to me. I pray that God blesses you all for your tireless prayers for our family.
Esther