This article is a collaborative writing by both Dale and Pam

Since my mother has been sick this year, a few lay people in our church have been stressed out about what is happening in my family. Some of them have lost their mother in the past year.  During Dale’s message on Sunday, he said that the resurrection makes it possible that one day, without a doubt, we will be reunited with our loved ones.  We have the assurance that my mother is in the hands of God and that she is going to heaven.

I think that the assurance that we have makes some in our congregation uncomfortable, but if we really believe in what we say that we believe – if we have a hope in the resurrection, then we will have the assurance that we will see those who have gone on before.  We can know that we know.

Hebrews 10:19-24 says: 19 And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. 20 By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. 21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, 22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.

 23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. 24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

All of this reminds me of the great Fanny Crosby hymn, “Blessed Assurance.”

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

Refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.

vs.2
Perfect submission, perfect delight!
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

(Refrain)

vs.3
Perfect submission, all is at rest!
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with his goodness, lost in His love.
(Refrain)

Our prayer for each one of you is that you have the assurance that you know beyond any shadow of a doubt that you are in Christ’s hands.