Be Assured of a Heavenly Home  

Last weekend I attended the funeral of a godly woman who had been suffering with Alzheimer’s disease for quite a while. As some of us have witnessed in other people’s lives, this terrible malady had taken its toll on this lady and her family throughout its slow, long progression. Her husband shared with me that due to her failing condition he had seen nothing but pain and anxiety on the face of his dear wife over these past couple of years. However, as she neared the end of her earthly struggle and was taking her last breaths, a smile came across her face. Was she seeing her Savior ready to welcome her to her heavenly home? Was she getting a glimpse into the wonderful existence that awaits all those who have put their trust in Jesus and the salvation He has provided for us through His death and resurrection? I don’t know what she may have been witnessing in that moment, but her smile was certainly a gift of comfort and encouragement to her husband who had accompanied her through the adversity of these last miles of her earthly journey.

Her experience reminds me of Stephen’s situation as he faced being the first Christian martyr. As he was being wrongfully attacked for his faith, he was allowed to gaze into heaven and see the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of His Father. As he was subsequently being stoned to death, he called on the Lord to receive His spirit, he prayed for those who were perpetrating this act to be forgiven, and then he peacefully left this life in such a way that the scripture describes it as “he fell asleep” (see Acts 7:54-60).

We don’t know how we are going to exit this life, whether during a calm night’s rest with a smile on our face or in the suddenness of a horrific accident or in the agony of a painful struggle with some disease. Not everyone’s life ends on a positive note or in a peaceful manner, not even those who have a steadfast faith in Jesus. However, whether this life draws to a close with a smile or a grimace, we can be assured of what is awaiting us as we take this inevitable turn in the road. We can know that we are about to enter the presence of our God and Savior. We can be comforted with the truth that we will be reunited with others who have gone before us who shared our faith in Christ. We can look forward to entering a glorious new world that will be free of the pain, suffering, and struggles of this life.

We don’t have to rely on the smile on the face of a dying saint as evidence of such a reality, although it does encourage us in our faith. Neither should we place too much emphasis on the near-death experiences of those who have reported what they saw as they had their close encounters with the end of life. Certainly they give credence to the truth of life after death, but they are not where our faith rests. We have God’s Word we can rely on. We have the resurrection of Christ we can point to. We have the witness of the Holy Spirit in our own hearts as to the future of those who know Christ. We walk by faith, not by sight. Nevertheless, isn’t it nice when the smile on the face of a dying believer reassures us of the truth we already know? Someone is waiting for us. Something better is ahead. If we know the Lord, that should put a smile on all our faces.