March 2, 2006


Dear Bob-

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

You and your family have been in my prayers day and night as you struggle through this complex and exhausting ordeal of a failing physical body. I am deeply saddened by the pain that you are experiencing, both physical and emotional. At the same time, however, I am overjoyed at the new life that has come to your spirit. Your Father in Heaven is so gracious that in the midst of the greatest suffering of your life he has given you the gift of such a precious time with your father on earth. I know that he has treasured every minute of your time together.

Your race seems to have come down to the last lap and your fight has come to the last round. While still praying for a gracious miracle from Heaven and holding out hope for mercy and healing, we must together face the reality of our mortality and the realness of death. I wanted to put down a few words of comfort and encouragement to support you and your family as you come closer to the time of your departure. This is a moment we all must face, but with thanksgiving and glory to God it is a moment that need not be fraught with fear, but rather filled with anticipation and hope. For through Jesus Christ death is not an ending, but a beginning.

The God in whom we put our trust and hope, the God of Christianity, the God who appeared to us in Jesus Christ has defeated death. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians15, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?...Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The most amazing and comforting news that I can give to you is the assurance of our faith that since you have put your faith in Jesus Christ, death has no claim on you. Jesus Christ died your death already. Sure, your body may fail, your eyes may close, but who you truly are will endure with Christ forever.

We often times fear death because it is the ultimate unknown. What lies behind the door? What will it be like? What will I see? If I’m going to be there for eternity I sure hope I like it there  When I read the Scripture I see a different perspective. Listen to Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 13, “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” The reality of this statement should change our whole perspective on death.

We have some sense of the reality that God knows us fully. The Bible says things like God knows what we do in secret, that He created our inmost being and knitted us together in the womb, Matthew tells us that he even knows how many hairs we have on our head! God knows us better than we know ourselves. In heaven we will know God just as He knows us. Paul is telling us in this passage that death is not entering into the unknown, it is entering into the knowing.

Here on earth we long for God, we hunger for Him, we wish He felt closer. Sometimes we catch glimpses of Him, we feel His presence, we experience His Spirit, we hear His Word, but there still seems to be some rotten distance between us and Him. Paul calls this seeing “but a poor reflection as in a mirror.” Some translations say “through a mirror darkly.” We catch glimpses, but the edges are still blurred. But, Paul tells us that death removes this fog. He says, “we will fully know even as we are fully known.” The edges become clear, the distance between us and God is gone, the frustration is gone, the fear is gone, the sin is gone, the hurt is gone, the pain is gone, the doubt is gone. We will no longer see with our eyes and have faith that God exists somewhere we can’t see. Our faith will be our sight and what was once a mystery will be revealed when we look upon the object of our faith. We will be with God. The good, gracious, pure, God that the Bible says is the source of all love.

No, we do not know what it will look like in heaven. No, we do not know what the process of transition from this life to that is like. But (and this is a big but), we do know that God is in charge, we know that God will be there, and we know that God is good. The unknown parts of death pale in comparison to the promises of what will be revealed. In some ways, this life is more unknown than the next. Here we do not understand all that we wish to about who God is and what He is doing, but we know that we want to know Him more. When we shuck this shell of a body and come into the glorious presence of the Lord that fearful wonder will be gone and will be replaced with the amazing joy of being face to face with God Himself. Then we will fully know even as we are fully known.

We’ve tasted peace, but only with stress close at hand. We’ve tasted love, but always with the fear of rejection or loss. We’ve experienced God’s glory, but only while surrounded by sin. We’ve tasted life, but always with the fear of death. What will it be like when we can not just taste these things, but drink deeply from them without any stress, any rejection, any loss, any sin, or any death? Praise God that this is what awaits us!

There is no cancer in heaven. There are no tears in heaven. There is no sin in heaven. There is no death in heaven. There is only all that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. You will be whole again in heaven.

In the pictures of heaven that we see in the Scripture there are no newcomers on the edges not sure about what to do next. No unsurety of their new digs. No orientation classes about the rules and function of heaven. There is not an adjustment time in heaven. What we do see is everyone worshipping because it is so wonderful; everyone is bound together in unfettered relationships, there is feasting, and laughing, and dancing, and praising, everyone is joyful, everyone is loving, everyone is happy, everyone is HOME.

Bob, do not fear the unknown- rejoice in the knowing. This does not mean that death is easy, because death was not God’s design, this life that has an ending is not the life we were mean to live. We were called to live eternal. So, there are things in this temporal life that while we are still here we cannot imagine being separated from. I know that you are worried about your family, but rest assured that they will be well taken care of. God has given His people to this world to do His work here and I am a leader of some of those people. I will make sure that your family is loved and cared for, supported, and comforted. God’s people will be here with them just as you will be with God’s people in heaven. And they will be strengthened in their faith that your separation is only temporary for one day through the grace of Jesus Christ they will join you at the feast, stand next to you as you worship at the throne, and dance with you in the glory of God.

I envy you brother. While I do not envy your struggles here on earth, you are about to achieve what we as Christians long for- to be with Christ forever. You will soon look upon the face of our Savior. The Savior who died for you and rose for you will soon be welcoming you. I long for that day myself. To hear those words from the lips of Jesus himself, “Well done good and faithful servant.” To enter into His rest.

As Joshua stood at the edge of the Promised Land will all of Israel at his side, he looked out across the River Jordan and God told him, “Be not afraid for I am with you.” As you look out over the Jordan you stand with God’s people around you and the Spirit is saying to you, “Be not afraid for I am with you.” He will deliver you, He will take you to the Land that flows with milk and honey. You are going ahead of us. You get to go first. You are privileged in that. We all long to be where you are going.

Be strong and courageous. Let go of the fear, the unknown, and the worry. May the peace of the Lord surround you. May His loving arms embrace you. May you enter into His rest with confidence. May you enter His gates with praise.

I am thankful for the time we have been able to spend together, however brief it has been. I am thankful that your life is hidden now with Christ. I am thankful that we will see each other again. Until that time brother, dance hard, sing loud, and save me a glass of wine at the wedding supper of the Lamb. You’re going home. Praise our Lord Jesus Christ who has swallowed up death! Praise our Lord Jesus Christ who gives us the victory! Praise our Lord Jesus Christ who loves you more than you could ever know.

Faithfully In Christ,

The Rev. Dan Alger+
The Church of the Apostles
Hope Mills, NC