I’ve attended a number of funerals this year – nothing unusual there, considering both my age and the time I spend with elderly friends at the nursing home. But this year’s farewell services got me thinking once again that it’s never too late to receive Christ as one’s personal Savior.
In particular, three of my late friends had several eternally significant traits in common.
First, each had a stunning story of a late-in-life conversion. All had been life-long church-goers, although their denominations differed. But all received Christ long after the time that, according to conventional wisdom, is the upper limit of when people get saved. The youngest at the time of conversion was 58; the oldest, 92.
Second, they each had amazing wisdom to share, even though their Christian walks had been relatively brief. I suppose that’s partly because they had time to think about the things of God, and the things of eternity. Just as important, they had decades of life experiences to ponder anew, this time with eternal eyes – including heart-breaking experiences that, after all, led them to this place, and this time, where they would finally meet the Savior and accept His free offer of a heavenly forever.
Third, each of these aged saints had beatific expressions in this life. And while I know that those well-worn visages probably didn’t go with them to heaven, I enjoy imagining that they did – and envisioning how rapturous each one would have looked to have come face to face, at long last, with the One who died for them. In fact, my heart leaps each time I picture one of them experiencing such unfathomable joy – and in turn imagining what it will be like when I join them, one happy day.
What a blessing it is to get to know these elderly brothers and sisters in Christ!
In particular, three of my late friends had several eternally significant traits in common.
First, each had a stunning story of a late-in-life conversion. All had been life-long church-goers, although their denominations differed. But all received Christ long after the time that, according to conventional wisdom, is the upper limit of when people get saved. The youngest at the time of conversion was 58; the oldest, 92.
Second, they each had amazing wisdom to share, even though their Christian walks had been relatively brief. I suppose that’s partly because they had time to think about the things of God, and the things of eternity. Just as important, they had decades of life experiences to ponder anew, this time with eternal eyes – including heart-breaking experiences that, after all, led them to this place, and this time, where they would finally meet the Savior and accept His free offer of a heavenly forever.
Third, each of these aged saints had beatific expressions in this life. And while I know that those well-worn visages probably didn’t go with them to heaven, I enjoy imagining that they did – and envisioning how rapturous each one would have looked to have come face to face, at long last, with the One who died for them. In fact, my heart leaps each time I picture one of them experiencing such unfathomable joy – and in turn imagining what it will be like when I join them, one happy day.
What a blessing it is to get to know these elderly brothers and sisters in Christ!
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