“Dad, I’m really going to miss visiting Nana Jean and looking through her picture albums with her,” David said sadly. “She visited so many interesting places and told such fascinating stories.”
“I know, son,” Dad replied. “My grandmother certainly made the most of this life, while still looking forward to the next.”
“What do you mean?”
“Nana Jean gave her life to Christ many years ago,” Dad responded. “Just a little older than you are now, actually. And she spent the rest of her life living to serve Him any way she could. So she will spend eternity with Him.”
“But we just buried her,” David said. “How is she going to live another life?”
Dad smiled. “I like the way Job explained it when he said, ‘As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth’ (19:25). This refers to Christ returning to reign on this earth.
“But the next verse answers your question: ‘Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God; whom I myself shall behold, and whom my eyes will see . . .’ (vv. 26, 27). Nana Jean will live again with God when He brings her back to life in her new body in the eternal kingdom.”
David thought about his great-grandmother and how she lived her life. “So, why was Nana Jean so sure she would live again and see Jesus? I know she went to church every week and read her Bible every day. Is that how she gets into the next life?”
“Not exactly,” Dad replied. “Let me see how I can explain this. You know how you loved to visit Nana Jean and listen to her stories and eat her amazing cookies?”
David nodded. “Yeah, I’m going to miss those stories and those cookies.”
“Well, are the stories and cookies why you loved her?” Dad asked.
“Of course not! I loved Nana Jean because she loved me and made me feel so special. The cookies and stories were extra.”
“So Nana Jean will be in the kingdom because she loved God and His Son Jesus and made Jesus Lord of her life. Then, because she loved Him so much, she wanted to spend time reading His Word, praying, going to church to be with others who loved Him, and serving Him in any way she could. Those things didn’t get her into His kingdom. There’s only one way in, and that is to accept His sacrifice for your sins. But once you’ve done that, you’ll want to get to know Him through His Word and prayer. Just like you wanted to spend time with Nana Jean because you loved her so much, not because she made cookies and shared her adventures with you.”
“Dad, I want to ask Jesus to forgive my sins and be Lord of my life. Will you pray with me?”
