My Aunt's House

1st Corinthians 2:9

Some of my fondest memories as a young man are of the times spent at my aunt's house. In my most honest opinion, I have not enough adjectives within my vernacular arsenal to accurately articulate what a wonderful woman she was; truly the quintessential example of the lady of valor as we would all imagine her to have been. Everyone cherishes intensely such places; places that forever hold a warmth of affection within the deepest recesses of our hearts. Places where we felt safe, loved, accepted. Places where we knew we belonged; and even now wish we could go back to. It is this type of place that Christ was referring to when He promised His disciples, "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am (John 14:2-3)." It was this type of place that the Apostle Paul was longing for when he declared, "We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord (2nd Corinthians 5:8)." And it was this type of place that John saw in a vision before he wrote, "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away (Revelation 21:4)." Throughout the Bible we read about heaven through many different analogies, such as the great banquet (Luke 14), and the wedding feast (Matthew 22:1-14), mansions (John 14:2) and streets of gold (Revelation 21:21), along with the new Temple (Revelation 15:5) and the Sabbath rest (Hebrews 4:8-11). We read about having new bodies (Romans 8:23), having no more tears, pain or dying (Revelation 21:4), and neither marrying or being given into marriage (Matthew 22:30). The list of analogies throughout scripture is long. From it we can begin to paint a faint picture of what will be in the new kingdom. However, God reminds us through His prophet, “…As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than yours, and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:9)." Paul also declares, "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 (1st Corinthians 13:12)." What God is, and what God has prepared for those of us that love Him are beyond our ability to understand in full; at least for now. Because of this we must remember that our understanding of love and happiness is limited, and our happiness here on earth will pale in comparison to the happiness we will experience in heaven. What we experience now, and wrongly equate with true happiness, are but a foretaste of what is to be when Jesus Christ returns and frees us from this body of sin once and for all. Thus what Isaiah declared, and Paul echoed remains true, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him (Isaiah 64:4, 1st Corinthians 2:9)." My Aunt, after 69 years of life, relocated her earthly estate for this new and majestic glory, where she now has joyful and everlasting fellowship with the Father. I can only imagine the love and happiness that continues to permeate through her heavenly abode; and more than I ever did as a young man, I find myself longing for the day when I will finally be in my Aunt's house, once again.   [mp]

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Michael D'Urbano
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