Steve's Journey

One more thing about the funeral. The "full time worker" (pastor) in his message said that believers who die must exist with disembodied spirits until the Rapture, when Jesus comes back to collect His own and raise the dead. He said that when we are reunited with the Lord, then we get new bodies. It could be my age, but I don't ever remember that teaching. I had heard that either you immediately go to be with the Lord and get your new body or you had an eternal sleep until the final judgement. This prompted a discussion in the car about God reassembling the molecules of even those who have been vaporized in a bomb blast or those who had been cremated and their ashes scattered to the winds. Now, I certainly agree that God has the power to do such a thing, but I'm more inclined to think that the spirit just gets a new body. It may have enough of the same appearance as the person we remembered, but without the imperfections. But I'm okay with floating around if that's what He wants.

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I went to visit jail buddy yesterday. A Bible verse comes to mind. It's the one about remembering those in prison. (Hebrews 13:3) I wonder if it meant remembering any who are in prison, or only those who are in there for professing or proclaiming Christ. This fellow is a confessed sex offender, who also happens to claim Christ as his Savior. Am I called to visit him because he is a Christian, or simply because God still loves him? In church today the pastor said that while we are praying for recovery of the shooting victims in Arizona, we should also pray for family members of those that died in that rampage. Then she added that we really should pray for the young man who did the shooting. While I know that it must be extremely difficult for any of those related to the victims to care for the shooter, can any of us reach a point at which we have true compassion for an individual with a troubled mind, who unleashes the rage within him?

My jail friend seems truly repentant, but only God knows the heart. He's looking at 20 years and is fighting the feeling that this is the end of his life. I have tried to encourage him in the fact that God has not abandoned him and will be with him through this part of his journey. This is my first experience of visiting someone regularly who has been incarcerated. For several years in my younger days I participated in jail ministries, but this is totally different. I can't imagine what it would be like to face 20 years with less-than-reputable company for one serious, but stupid mistake. I also reminded him that while he is alive, he still has the potential to influence lives by being a man of peace and an encouragement to those around him, to prison officials, as well as inmates.

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Father, I don't know for sure what form we will take after death, but I am sure that we will be in Your loving care. /// Please bring peace and comfort to those victims in Arizona who are in the process of healing, as well as for those who will need to recover from the loss of their loved ones. /// I pray for those who are in prison. Many are in jail around the world because of their belief. Others have failed society by whatever processes made them into who they are. Please let my friend know that he is still loved by You and that the ministry of reconciliation will ultimately bring all into your inner circle.

Amen