Our Daily Walk: Family Reunion: Heaven, Our Eternal Home

Good morning and welcome to Our Daily Walk.

Audio version at http://tinyurl.com/39nwyt

Many families have periodic reunions. Some occur during the holidays or during a time convenient to most members. Sometimes all are present. Oftentimes some are missing.

Reunions also occur for school classes, military units and other groups of people. In most cases a time of reunion brings happiness and fond memories.

God’s people throughout the ages will one day be gathered together to spend eternity with one another. What a great reunion that will be!

I’ve often heard people say, “I wouldn’t miss that for the world.” They might have been speaking of a ballgame, a graduation or some other event of interest. But I wonder how much would we think of heaven in that way.

Friend, are you ready to go to heaven right now? Chances are pretty good that most of you have some doubts about your eternal outcome. Some may be thinking about looking into it sometime in the future. But you don’t need to wait, friend. The time will be here before you expect it and then where will you go?

There are many reasons why people will miss heaven, although hardly anyone expects to go to hell. Here are just a few reasons why some will miss out on eternal bliss.

Some will miss heaven because they fail to obey God. Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 that those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of Jesus Christ will spend eternity in hell.

Some will miss heaven because they neglect the salvation that is offered. Notice what the writer of Hebrews says in 2:1-3.

Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him?

Some will miss heaven because they are indifferent. They simply do not care to become involved and have no preference at this point. Jesus speaks of the Laodicia church in Revelation 3:15-16 as being lukewarm, neither cold nor hot. They were indifferent and they were repulsive to the Lord.

Some will miss heaven because of guilt and ongoing sins. Paul lists the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21. Sadly, some people engage in these and other sins and simply will not let go of them. They will stubbornly hang on to their short-lived sins and spend an eternity away from God.

Finally, some will miss heaven due to failure to do what should be done. In Matthew 25:14-30 Jesus speaks of some who were given certain amounts of money based on their ability to handle the money. In this parable of the talents Jesus tells of one man who buried his money instead of using it for his master. That man was punished, not for having lost the money, but for failing to do what he should have done.

Yes, friends, many people will end up missing heaven for these and other reasons. And that should trouble each and every one of us.

But isn’t it a grand thought to think that you and I have control over where we spend eternity. Friend, there are some who think they are too bad for God to save, but God thinks otherwise! If you are still breathing, friend, there is still time. Make your plans to attend that grand reunion of all the saved of the earth. Obey that gospel of Jesus Christ, put Him on and let God wash your sins away with His blood.

In heaven there will be no regrets of sins that we failed to commit. But in hell everyone will regret not accepting the offer of salvation that is free and that is offered for all.

On Our Daily Walk today, may we not be able to rest our heads until we have assurance that we are right with God. May we vow to never live another day on earth gambling with our soul’s eternal destiny. May we seek and learn God’s will, obey the gospel and live on earth so as to live eternally with all the saved!

Our thought for the day: “Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people, and they that enter shall find that they are neither unknown nor unexpected.” Bishop Ryal

May God bless you on your daily walk.

This will be my last broadcast of the Our Daily Walk devotionals here in Lewisburg, TN. I want to take a moment to thank the elders at Church Street Church of Christ for securing the radio time for this program. I want to thank our secretary, Talitha Liggett, for her great job of proofreading these manuscripts. I want to thank Justin Morton for doing these devotionals once a quarter and for his friendship and for his faith.

I also want to thank my wife, Carla, for her support and encouragement for my efforts and for sharing my vision of reaching out to more and more people. Finally, I want to thank you, the listeners and the readers of these devotionals. Your feedback, comments and encouragement have meant so much to me during these past few months.

Once again, thank you. May God bless you on your daily walk.