The God Of All Comfort

I have a picture on my home office wall that I absolutely love.  It is a picture showing Jesus giving a great big hug to a person who has just entered through the doors of the Heavenlies.  It includes a poem written by Beth Stuckwisch (1984 Dicksons) which goes like this:

When I come home to Heaven
How joyful it will be!
For on that day at last
My risen Lord I’ll see.

No greater happiness than
To see Him face to face
To see the love in His eyes
And feel His warm embrace.

I’ve done nothing to deserve
That perfect home above.
It was given freely through
The grace of Jesus’ love.

Then why should earthly cares
Weigh down upon me so?
They’ll be a distant memory
When home at last I go.

I can’t tell you how often in the past years that I have looked up and just cherished that picture.  How many times I have wondered – just what will it be like when I step through those heavenly doors?

Yet in writing this my heart also breaks.  My heart breaks for all those who, for one reason or the other, have refused to let the God of All Comfort into their lives.  They refuse because “how can they believe in a God that they’ve never seen with their own eyes?”  They refuse to believe the Bible is real.  They refuse to believe that God is really who He says He is.

In Numbers 15:37-41 the Lord is speaking to Moses.  He gives Moses specific detailed instructions for the Israelites regarding tassels they are to place on the corners of their garments:

You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes (v.39 NIV – emphasis mine).

That’s the bottom line, isn’t it?  People don’t want to believe because they don’t want to believe!  They want to do what they want to do – they think following Jesus will bind them and not allow them to live the way they desire.

This reminds me of a couple lines from the movie The Matrix.  In that movie, Morpheus is talking to their “perceived savior” (Neo) about the impending destruction of their world.  Their conversation goes like this:

Morpheus:  I see it in your eyes.  You have the look of a man who accepts what he sees because he is expecting to wake up.  Ironically, that’s not far from the truth.  Do you believe in fate, Neo?

Neo:  No.

Morpheus:  Why not?

Neo:  Because I don’t like the idea that I’m not in control of my life.

Have you ever felt like Neo?  Have you ever felt like if you turned your life over to Jesus that you would have no more control of your life?  That life won’t be any fun at all?

Do you sit on your couch watching the evening news and find yourself getting anxious and depressed about everything that is going on in the world?  Do you wonder what’s going to happen to your family if something were to happen to you?

How about this excuse:  “Yes, I do believe I need Jesus, but I just need a little more time before I finally make the commitment.”

In Psalm 139 David is speaking to God.  He is acknowledging that God knows everything.  There is nothing hidden from Him because He created us (v. 13).  He states  in v. 16 that God knows every day that has been ordained for us, before one of them even came to be.

You see, we don’t know when our last day could be on this earth.  We may “think” we have everything under control, but our last day could be today – while we’re driving in our car, flying, or even when we’re sleeping.  Please don’t wait.  Reach out to Jesus Christ, admit that you are a sinner, and Jesus will reach out to you and never let you go.

Believe me when I say this:  Trusting in Jesus is true freedom.  And when you finally do leave this earth, the unending joys of heaven will be yours too.