My husband Neil’s mother passed on to be with Jesus recently.
We went to Washington state to attend the memorial service. Helen was the last of that generation of the family and so many of Neil’s cousins and all his brothers and sisters attended.
The service was held in a church to which Helen belonged when she lived in Eastern Washington, even though she hadn’t attended there for several years because after Neil’s father died, her children had asked her to move to Seattle to be closer to them.
Still, the pastor of the church had been in residence long enough to know both Neil’s mother and father and so he was able to speak personally about Helen to her family.
He understood Helen’s heart well enough to know that a concern of hers was that her children only attended church sporadically, if then, and none other than Neil have followed in Helen’s faithful Christian footsteps.
Both Neil and I were pleased to see in the bulletin the title of the sermon, “Did Helen Deserve to Go to Heaven?” As the pastor laid out the argument for the life of Helen as a mother of six children and loving wife, we watched as heads bobbed up and down when he asked if this life of Helen’s was good enough for her to deserve to go to heaven.
From that point, the pastor went on to explain that we all have sinned and not one of us can or will ever deserve to be in the presence of our holy God and so he asked the next question, “Now knowing this, how can we believe that Helen is with Jesus?”
What a perfectly set out argument and explanation the pastor gave on the redemptive grace of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross to take upon Himself our punishment of forever being separated from our God.
That gift of Jesus’ death and then His resurrection is the only means by which we can be with God in heaven. Helen could never earn her way into heaven, only by her acceptance of Jesus as her Savior allowed Helen to enter into eternity to be with Him.
What a glorious picture the pastor painted for those listening.
It was a straightforward presentation of the good news of what Jesus Christ came to Earth to accomplish.
And I pray that many of those listening who had not before heard this beautiful redemption story would have it now soaking into their minds so that the Holy Spirit might quicken their hearts to consider where they stand in their faith in Jesus today.
I know Helen would have been very pleased to hear that sermon and has prayed for years that her children would respond to God’s calling.
What a tribute to our God that He is willing to accept repentant sinners to be with Him.
If I were not already counted in the Kingdom of God, that sermon would make me quite terrified to know that nothing I can do would enable me to get into heaven because, of course, the alternative is literally hell.
But we do have an opportunity to make a choice for Jesus.
To me, the choice seems quite easy now that I am on this side of the decision, but when I was on the other side, I did not want to give up anything and that is what it seemed that I must do – give up enjoyment of life or fun things or certain people.
What I gained was unbelievable love. I gained a knowledge and a trust that the God who created me, loves me and cares what I am doing every moment of my life.
I can speak to Him about anything, and He listens and directs me. I found that God has a plan for my life, which is more beautiful than I could ever imagine and now God wows me in the details of my day.
Looking back, there was absolutely nothing that I was required to give up before giving my life over to Jesus. I will say that after giving my entire life to Jesus, many previous desires and efforts fell by the wayside as I wanted to please Jesus more than myself.
I voluntarily stopped doing many things at the calling of Jesus to clean up and clear out my life for a better one, but I was never forced to give up anything. The life I now live in Jesus is the ultimate joy of all my years. I am very blessed to be a part of the family of God.
If anyone reading this is still on the side of not yet making that choice, please feel free to seek the Father because He promises He will be found!
ED. NOTE: Amy Patsch writes from Ocean City. Email her at writerGoodGod@gmail.com.
