Heaven

Today I have been thinking a lot about heaven. When we were planning to return to Albania, one of our plans was to work with a teacher who was our age, Mira. Mira was a strong Christian and a great blessing to the church in Korca. In May, Mira was electrocuted while cooking at her home and died. This left Mira’s mother Rosa alone in her home. Rosa is a widow. She has two other children but both are away. Her older daughter lives in Greece with her family and her son is in prison. We have been making many visits to Rosa’s home. I had the chance to get a cooking lesson from her and we have been there many times for coffee. Her emotions range greatly from day to day. Yesterday we went to deliver cookies for her son and she was very sad. I know it is hard to loose a loved one, but I know it must be harder to loose a child and to an accident. Today is a Muslim holiday and there are lots of parties which make Rosa feel all the more alone, not having her family near. Rosa has said that she does not want to live any more. She does not see the point. She does not want to eat when Mira cannot eat or to warm herself by the heater when Mira is cold. After she made these comments, we began to talk a little bit about heaven. I told her that I believe with all my heart Mira is not suffering at all. She was a baptized believer who walked with God and depended on God. God has promised us that we will be with him after we die. I did not go into the idea of being “asleep in the Lord” and the Judgment Day. I told her I was sure Mira was not suffering from cold or hunger. I told her that she always makes us very comfortable in her house and she is just a person, God will be much more hospitable. Mira had had a very sad life and I wanted Rosa to know that she would be happy in heaven. God will comfort her.

Rev 7:14-8:1

And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore,

"they are before the throne of God
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.
16 Never again will they hunger;
never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat upon them,
nor any scorching heat.
17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd;
he will lead them to springs of living water.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
(NIV)

We have such an amazing God who keeps his promises. It is amazing to think about heaven to think about a place with no suffering, no sadness and no sin. I hope that we will be able to help Rosa to understand the True and Living God. I have told her that we have prayed that she will become a Christian.