I visited my mom this last weekend, and I went through some of her old photographs. I saw photos of when my wife and I were in the beginning stages of our life together. There were pictures of births, birthdays, family vacations. It’s often said, “A picture is worth a thousand words,” but I don’t know if I agree with that statement. The pictures I saw represented the best of times, set in a particular moment. Don’t get me wrong, those times were magical.
As I perused the pictures, I also remembered the times that were difficult. My wife and I dealt with my bout of bi-polar depression when our children were preschool age – probably the most devastating life event occurring within our family. Other memories came back, as I remembered our daughters struggling to make good friends at their elementary school, looking for a friend to accept them for who they were. Then in other pictures, seeing my dad smiling and enjoying life was bittersweet since recalling his passing in 2016. My thoughts turned to my daughter’s college graduation as she said with tears, “Only one person is missing this experience – my grandpa.”
The pictures are memories of the best times – and so they are correctly labelled. Yet the pictures don’t depict the pain experienced during the ebb and flow of time. My soul longs for the day when time will no longer exist. When pain will become just a distance memory. When relationships are built with total honesty and integrity, yet we will be accepted and loved in the fullness of God. When I will be reunited with the friends and family who have passed from this earth and are now in the presence of God. I am looking forward to the beginning of the new earth and heaven, where our family will stand together in the presence of our Creator. We will bow down to His majesty, and all will be at peace in my family and friends in heaven. I will proclaim, “No picture can capture the awesomeness of this moment.”
For we will see the visible God with our own eyes and audibly hear God with our own ears in all of His magnificent presence. To truly live in our new bodies without sin before a holy God.
Until that moment arrives, may we continue to fight to good fight on this earth and make more than just good memories!
1 Timothy 6:12
Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
Discussions to make God known 