Memories, Reunions, and the Next Life

This life goes by so fast, but the next life lasts forever:

Two quite recent experiences have got me thinking about eternity. This morning I was out walking my dog and I saw a middle-aged couple (presumably husband and wife) walking and talking. I thought to myself, ‘That used to be me’. In just over a week it will be three years since my wife passed and went on into eternity. Now it is just me and Jilly dog.

And last night I had an odd and moving experience. Out of nowhere, an old pastor friend of mine that I knew way back in the 1970s just popped into my mind. There was nothing that would have caused this remembrance. He just popped into my thoughts so unexpectedly.

With thoughts of him fresh in my mind, my curiosity was piqued. So I did a quick google search and discovered that he had passed away a year and a half ago. That was sad, but it was strange that someone I had not thought much about for the past half century all of a sudden just appeared in my head space.

Perhaps because I have now lived more in Europe and Australia together than my initial years in America, it is easier to lose contact with folks: old friends, old classmates, old church colleagues, old seminary friends, and so on. So the great bulk of people I have been close to or friends with from long ago have slowly gone missing from my thoughts and interactions.

Yes, there were some of these folks on Facebook, but when they kicked me off for life a few months ago, I lost most of those contacts as well. But having the recollection of this pastor, I decided to google the church he and I were part of back in America.

Given that I am not much of an emotional person, that search really hit me hard. I could almost feel my heart pounding. On the staff page there were of course plenty of folks I did not know, or at least did not remember. To the extent that they were younger, that would explain while they did not ring a bell.

But a handful of names and pics did prompt powerful memories from so long ago. A few of these folks I had known well way back then, and fellowshipped with, and ministered with. But being out of the country for so long now, I must confess that most of these folks I had totally forgotten about over time.

Sure, being out of the loop (and the country) for a half century will do that. So to see a few of these old friends still alive, still serving in the church, and still going strong really hit me. I had forgotten all about some of them for many decades. And now, here they were, staring me in the face – thanks to the internet.

As I say, it was an emotional experience, and both of these recent events got me thinking quite a bit about the next life. How many people that I have known much more recently but have passed away (such as my wife) will I be reunited with and able to share eternity with?

And how many more folks will I encounter in heaven that I had long forgotten all about here on earth? There would be so many: old church mates, or old missionary friends, or old Bible college friends, or old seminary colleagues. Given how old I now am, some of these relationships can go back 60 years or so.

So many of these folks I have lost touch with over the years, but if they are those who have gotten right with God through the finished work of Christ, I will see them once again. And given what a long time eternity is, I will have plenty of time to catch up with them to chat, fellowship and the like.

Sure, the most likely thing we will all do for the first few million years or so (if a succession of time is a part of heaven and the eternal state) is to worship and adore our Lord. He will be the main one we reunite with and enjoy sweet fellowship with.

But we will also be catching up with all the old fellow believers we once knew on earth. Some of my old church colleagues from 50 years ago will be there, and we will have many things to talk about. But then again there will be some folks that I had never known personally but will be able to share with and fellowship with forever.

Just think of all the long chats and times of rich fellowship we will be able to have with an Abraham, or a Job, or a David, or a Jeremiah, or a Peter and Paul. Imagine spending centuries of time with an Augustine, or a Luther, or a Spurgeon, or a Lewis, or a Tozer, or a Schaeffer.

What heaven will be like is in so many ways unimaginable. It is just too hard to comprehend exactly what it will entail and just what we will be doing. But Scripture gives us enough information to know that it will be more glorious and wonderful than we can ever imagine.

Simply being with the living God will make it beyond belief. That will surely suffice. But seeing family members, loved ones, friends, ministry colleagues, and fellow laborers in the gospel will be a part of this. I can only imagine.

And typing that last sentence just meant having the Christian song pop into my mind. “I Can Only Imagine” by MercyMe was recorded in 1999. Many of you know it. The lyrics are worth sharing here:

I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk by Your side
I can only imagine
What my eyes would see
When Your face is before me
I can only imagine
Yeah

Surrounded by Your glory
What will my heart feel?
Will I dance for You Jesus
Or in awe of You be still?
Will I stand in Your presence
Or to my knees, will I fall?
Will I sing hallelujah?
Will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine
I can only imagine

I can only imagine
When that day comes
And I find myself
Standing in the Son
I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever, forever worship You
I can only imagine, yeah
I can only imagine

Surrounded by Your glory
What will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you Jesus
Or in awe of You be still?
Will I stand in your presence
Or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing hallelujah?
Will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine, yeah
I can only imagine

Surrounded by Your glory
What will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you Jesus
Or in awe of You be still?
Will I stand in your presence
Or to my knees, will I fall?
Will I sing hallelujah?
Will I be able to speak at all?

I can only imagine, yeah
I can only imagine
I can only imagine, yeah-yeah
I can only imagine
I can only imagine
I can only imagine

I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever, forever worship You
I can only imagine

And you can listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRPGRdbGHSs

Tears are falling as I am playing it now.

[1244 words]