I miss being able to share with dad some of the things I've been learning. They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but old men can remain teachable and in the last few years God has taught me a great deal. After almost forty years of following Jesus, I've learned things that I never knew. Dad and I always had a hard time talking theology, since he and I shared a different view of Biblical authority; and I regret never really pushing him to talk to me more. Now we can't, even though I would like to.
One thing I've come to realize lately is that the Bible doesn't emphasize the time after we die like we do. We talk about going to heaven and seeing loved ones and enjoying life much like we do now, only better, but if we're honest we'd have to admit that the Bible doesn't speak about that much--actually almost nothing. Instead, the Bible always points us to our resurrection from the dead.
In our culture today most people believe that when they die, that's it--their bodies and their consciousness die together forever. However, the Bible says that one day God will raise all men back to life--all men. In John 5:28-29 Jesus says: "...An hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment." Several times the Bible makes the claim that God will raise all men back to life, and that every person will be resurrected. To those who have been given the righteousness of God that is by faith in Jesus, God will grant them immortality; they will never experience death again. But there's more.
The gift of God is eternal life in a world where all is redeemed and all is made right. Can you imagine a world where we live and no more selfishness exist? How about a world where people don't lie, steal, cheat or murder so as to get over on one another? But that is exactly the world that the Bible points to in the resurrection. This is exactly the world that Jesus died to procure for whosoever is willing to trust him for it. And it's a world where my father will awake to a mind and body that has been restored.
Last night, in the middle of the night, I woke up to a picture in my mind--it was a picture straight out of my dream and I remembered it. It was the picture at the end of the "Return of the Jedi," the last Star Wars movie in the original trilogy. If you remember the ending there was a shot of Obi-Wan, Yoda, and a redeemed Anakin standing there together--smiling. In my dream it was that picture, but the characters standing there were not Jedis, but my father and me. I don't often remember dreams, but I did this one and actually couldn't go back to sleep for a while. I wanted to remember because it brought me so much joy. I knew what this dream meant--one day my father and I will physically rise again, clothed in immortality, and both he and I will be transformed, healed, forgiven and sealed in goodness. We'll have the conversation I've always wanted--and many more.
I'm sure some who read this will find my meanderings foolish--I get it. I know what I write I write with eyes of faith, yet I'm certain of it, though I also understand your skepticism. But some of you who read this have also put faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus, and you too may have lost a love one to death--maybe you have lost a loved one but they are still alive (I almost think that can be harder). I encourage you to look for the day when we will all rise again to be clothed in immortality, healed and forgiven, and inherit a new and perfect world, and all things will be brought in subjection to Christ!
