January 2, 2022

This is January 2nd 2022. Yesterday, I woke up to the news that my Opa (grandfather) in Germany had passed away. This news was a mild shock to me, but then again, not completely unexpected. He had been struggling with health issues and now his struggles are over. But more than that, my Opa was/is a Christian. So, when he passed from his mortal body here on earth he went to heaven. I will see him again one day. I look forward to that reunion.

To elaborate on my comment that my Opa’s struggles are now over, I can say that his struggles are over with confidence because I know that my Opa is in heaven. But if my Opa had died and not gone to heaven then his struggles would have only gotten worse, 1000x plus, because he would have gone to hell. Scripture tells us that we die, once, and after that is the judgment (see Hebrews 9:27). And if our names are not found written in the book of life we will be cast into the lake of fire (see Revelation 20: 14-15). Yikes!

By the way, the way to salvation, which is only through Jesus Christ, that gives each person the confidence of having his/her name found written in the book of life, is in Romans 10:9-10. Those scriptures say: “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

Some might say that the death of a loved one is a bummer of a way to start the new year. Sure, it could be seen that way. But I thank God that I have the hope, therefore the joy, of knowing that I will see my Opa again one day and we will never be parted again.

1 Corinthians 15:55-57 says: “O DEATH, WHERE IS THY STING? O GRAVE,WHERE IS THY VICTORY? 56) The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57) But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Death has lost its sting!!!