Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Minute

 
I was at the hospital the other day to have a test  that required the doctors to put me under so I would be comfortable through the test.  The test only took  20 minutes at the most...BUT...due to the meds used to put me out,  it Felt like I was only out for ONE  minute!   One minute I was breathing in pure oxygen, the next I was waking up in the test room with nurses checking me over to make sure I was ok.  It was a very strange feeling, literally I lost those 20 some minutes during the procedure.     I remember thinking that was an easy test, no bad side affects.   

I kind of hope that is how death is.  No matter the minutes it takes after I take my last earthly breathe till I awake in eternity, hope it only feels like a minutes, no, a second.  Hope that space of time from earthly living to heavenly living is short and painless. 

That one minutes feeling has got me stuck thinking about time here on earth.  The Bible is clear Psalm 90:1-10 that God and man view it differently which makes a huge difference how we conduct our lives.  Man has no power over death, but God can, has, and will overcome time and death by the power of the resurrection.  To God, these thousands of years pass swiftly, "like yesterday...like a watch in the night. "

Man's view of time is the days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for  it is soon cut off, and we fly away , Psalm 89:47-48.  

As of today, I have lived: (give or take a few minutes and seconds)
894 months
21,210 days
65, 3040 hours
39,182,400 minutes

  At 74 I am praying I will live maybe 10-15 years more.  Spiritually I am ready to go home to cross that gap between life here on earth and life in heaven.  Humanely, I would like to stay around a few more years.  Actually,  I am content to leave time up to God, He has a purpose for me here on earth or I would not be here.  It gives me comfort that, "my time to go" is in God's hands just as the start of me was in His hands.  

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Roman 8:38-39


17 comments:

  1. Great thoughts here, and what an interesting comparison of time, entering heaven, and so forth. I am reminded of "absent from the body, present with the Lord." I saw my husband twenty minutes or so before he entered heaven's gate and then just a few minutes after. It was stunning to see the difference after the Lord had ushered his spirit away. I knew immediately he was not there, it was just his "earth suit" (term from a former pastor of ours). And when I visit his grave, I am also immediately reminded that it's just his earth suit buried below; that my Beloved is in Heaven with our Lord.

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  2. I knew too when my mother passed. There was an unearthly quiet in the room when she left. she gave up her dress of flesh for her heavenly robe. I did a study on angels recently and learned there will be one or maybe more there to help me over the gap, it's their ministry to help us. I have not been afraid of dying but had been a little afraid of the cross over so that put my fears to rest. Thanks Barbara for commenting. Blessings to you.

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  3. Thank you for these thoughts. I know when I've had procedures done it always surprises me that it is already over when I thought I'd just gotten there...and yes, I believe that is how it will be...here one minute, in heaven the next! What a glorious day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see..."when I look upon His face, the One who saved me by His grace..." Yes, we need to always be ready to answer that call, because Jesus could call us home in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye. Praise God! I am ready!

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    1. The older I get the more ready I am but I do hate leaving my family in such a messy world. Thankful both my kids are saved and their children except maybe one. My kids tell me I was having one of my Jesus moments to be thinking of going home after that procedure. My son would always tell his friends, if you are going to be around my Mom be ready to hear about Jesus. I have thought about putting the plan of Salvation on my tombstone. Or maybe what is on the Garden Tomb. Blessings Pam.

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  4. I feel as Paul did. I want to go "home" but I also want to stay here. I can't wait to see Jesus and be free of all this garbage but I love the church I pastor; I love my family; I want to see my grandson grow up; etc. I'm glad He knows my days. Sometimes I just wish He would share it with me. :) :) Seriously though, my life is in His hands. I am content with that. But I also don't want to waste the time I have left. I personally believe "absent from the body, present with the Lord" and time will be of no essence.

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    1. Anytime the subject of our funeral comes up I comment how I want to take care of it all so our kids will not have to. Just shows how much control I want even in my death. It's a good way to set ones children up for guilt if they can't so all I want. I am sure with all the funerals you have done you see this a lot. I am going to stop being dogmatic about my funeral and tell my kids, do whatever helps you, I won't need any of my plans...all will well in my eternal life.

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  5. When my son died at 16 months old, the comparison of time between earth and Heaven was extraordinarily different. All that Jesus did with Andrew and showed him seemed like it might have taken hours, yet down here it was only a span of minutes. One day, precious Betty, we all will experience being absent from our bodies and in The Presence of our LORD God. Oh, I cannot wait!

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    1. I love to wonder on things for it always brings a deeper understanding of issues I am wondering about. God continues to teach me how much He loves me, the benefit of trusting Him with my wondering. And I love blogging about it because of the feedback I get. Thanks Diane for comment.

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  6. I found such comfort in your words here, Betty, as my mother just passed away last Monday. I pray her transition from earth to heaven was a seamless one.
    Blessings, my friend!

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    1. So sorry Martha about your mother, sorry for you since you will be separated from you now. He did not promise us a seamless life here but there, perfectly seamless. I believe the bible teaches us the transition is seamless too.

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  7. I have done a lot of thinking about how to "Finish Well". I have concluded--we never know--only God knows when that last breath will be taken---so ALWAYS be prepared. The concept of God being timeless is almost as difficult to wrap our human minds around as the Trinity. Our finite human brains cannot truly "Get it". Yet there is great comfort in Him knowing when our time here is over.
    Blessings

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    1. Ls true Lulr, so much is difficult to understand here and once we are there our questions will cease for we will be fully like Christ, knowing all, accepting all, receiving all, loving all.

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  8. Thanks for your visit sister Betty. Praying for the Lord to always strengthen you, protect you, and heal your physical ailments. That's the truth if we allow it to permeate our spirit that if we know the kind of hold He has in our lives, what is there to fear? Many years ago, tired from working one night's shift, my car spun out of control maybe because I thought a car was about to hit me as it changed lane to where I was. Seeing all the cars around, in front and behind me, I knew it would be an ugly ending. Being 4 mos. pregnant, I prayed and calmly asked the Lord to guide my car as I was tired and didn't know what to do. To give me more years if it was okay with Him because I would like to see the baby He gave me and my husband. I wasn't afraid at all. I don't know if that's how dying would be. But I was enveloped with peace and all of a sudden, I couldn't hear any sounds, like I was submerged in water. I saw my steering wheel spinning on its own, my car ending up near a slightly deep embankment. But it was parked perfectly in the emergency lane, going with the right direction of traffic. I thanked God (up to this day) and told Him I would never forget His goodness. There is no darkness in this place that could ever block His Light. Stay strong in His mighty power sister Betty. Our spiritual enemies are in full force but we have His mighty weapons and Him, our Refuge! Glory be to God.

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  9. Thanks for that testimony? I know God has spared my life a couple of times, just last year with my kidneys shut down. Like you, I felt the protection of the Lord on my life, peace filled me that only a super natural God could give. I know that same thing will happen when God calls me home. I cannot give a first hand account because I have not died, but knowing His love for me and all His children gives me peace about the unknown. Thanks for the challenge to stay strong in His power. Blessings to you.

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  10. Thanks for sharing those verses from Romans 8, Betty. They remind us of who's in charge, who cares for us, who orders our days.

    I'm so grateful.

    And yes, may our final moments occur in a quiet blink of an eye.

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    1. Linda, you have faced many trials and struggles yet you continue to minister to others. You are a light to we women who desire to serve Him. I am in need of prayer. My health is having a huge affect on me to the point I feel like a blanket of much weight has been put on me physically. Please keep me in prayer.

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