All in this life is temporary! Wow! When I heard that statement from a visiting pastor last week it really gave me pause to think. He's right, I realized. As I looked back on my 79 years of life, thoughts ran through my mind. Remembering my childhood years, then pre-teen, then rapidly teen, then the 20s, the 30s, 40s and on and on. Each phase of my life was temporary as my physical body swiftly changed, my mental capacities grew and changed, parents died, friends came and left, geographical changes occurred as we moved, even cultural changes happen that continue to effect my faith . Truly, nothing in this physical world stays the same from one year to the next. Everything in this earthly life is temporary.
Lately I have become more aware of the intense grief and pain facing someone losing a spouse, especially after many years of marriage. The man or woman is left alone...rarely do both die at the same time. Yes, those years of living together as man and wife come to an abrupt end. Truly, a marriage relationship ends up being 'temporary'. In fact, any death of a loved one, whether spouse, child, sibling or parent makes one realize the temporary existence and relationship of that loved one. They are gone from our physical life forever.
But, as a believer in Jesus Christ, I know that is not the end of the story. Our first baby, a girl, was suddenly stillborn in 1961. The delivery room staff (I heard them say "She is beautiful!") did not let me see her or hold her......the theory at that time denied life before birth and thought I would 'forget' her. Since scripture tells me she is now with Jesus, I will see her and hug her one day in Heaven. Yes, all things in this present physical world are temporary.
How do I know all this? Because I have experienced the reality of the spiritual world during my cancer experience. I know that Jesus is real! I know because he appeared to me in that vision I had on May 26, 2010, six weeks before my diagnosis of brain cancer and told me I would be healed. And I am healed! The spiritual world is right here with us, yet our scientific, technical, physical minds ignore or deny that Jesus is here with us, that the Holy Spirit empowers us and that God oversees everything. When we read in the Bible about 'eternity' it is hard for our finite minds to grasp the meaning. Eternity is forever and ever and ever. Does anyone live on this earth in a physical body forever and ever? No.
Therefore, I rejoice that my temporary physical life on this planet earth will come to an end.....a life of great joy, accomplishments and happiness but also with a large amount of emotional pain, recent physical challenges, frustration and grief. Yes my earthly life is only temporary because at my graduation into heaven, I will experience an even more joyful existence....a life in eternity forever and ever, without tears, pain and sorrow because I will be with Jesus. I love that verse in John 14:6 when Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me." Yes, His way is for our good, His truth is reality and His life proved victory over death. Only through believing and surrendering to Jesus are we guaranteed eternity in Heaven. How simple a decision! And what a promise! What security!
At this point in time, we are staying in Canada about four months. Yes, only temporarily! We leave here to return to Holland, MI on Saturday, September 12. It has been a beautiful summer with friends, family and wildlife. We finally saw a big black bear (probably about 400 pounds) several weeks ago about 2 miles from our house. We knew the bears were around but had never seen one. Now we can add 'bear' to our list of wildlife including porcupine, mink, otter, fisher, wolf/coyote, deer, loon, heron, eagle and on and on! We plan to return to our beloved lake house next May, 2016, in time for planting flowers. But all in this life is temporary and God in His wisdom is in control.
