Author : Tom Rainwater
When the apostle Paul was on his way to Jerusalem, he stopped at Miletus and called for the elders at Ephesus to meet him there. (Acts 20:16-17). After he encouraged them to continue in their work for the Lord and prayed with them, they all wept freely and expressed their love for him. (Acts 20:37-38). The brethren knew that “they would see his face no more” because the Holy Spirit was revealing that chains and tribulation awaited Paul in Jerusalem. (Acts 20:22-25; 21:10-14).
Ruth, of the Old Testament, insisted on following her mother-in-law Naomi to Israel after her husband passed away. But, her sister-in-law, Orpah, who would stay behind in Moab after losing her own husband, wept and kissed Naomi at their parting. (Ruth 1:1-18).
Other examples can be found in the Bible where friends and family parted from one another to live in different places on earth. Many more examples exist of people being separated by death.
Permanent “goodbyes” are the hardest to say. Knowing that you may never see a person’s face again on earth is hard when you love that person. Yet, really, the only permanent “goodbye” is when you spend eternity in a different place than that someone else you love.
If you’re a faithful Christian and a friend or family member dies in his sins, the pain of separation is very difficult to bear. You know you will indeed never see him again, unless to catch of glimpse of him at judgment — but no more after that.
Friend, if you’re not a faithful Christian and you die in your sins, I want you to think that not only will you suffer the pains of torment, but you will never again see your family and friends who have obeyed the Gospel. That kind of “goodbye” is permanent. Personally, I miss my family terribly if I have to take a trip from them for a few days. Imagine how that would be if separation was for an eternity.
Thinking about these things should make us more sober-minded about what is to come and what we must do to prepare for that time (1 Peter 1:13; 4:7). Too many young parents today do not think seriously enough about their own spiritual well-being. If their entire family died in a car accident, where would their different souls spend eternity? The little children would go to heaven in their innocence (Matthew 19:14). But where would the parents go if they were not faithful to the Lord?
Do we want that kind of separation?
Let’s do our best to serve the Lord and also train our children to serve Him (Ephesians 6:4; Proverbs 22:6), so that when our children grow to an age of maturity they will obey Jesus. Then we won’t have to worry about saying any permanent “goodbyes” to family — even in the face of death.
However, if many of your relatives refuse the Gospel, you can start building eternal relationships right now within your better, spiritual family (Matthew 12:46-50).
Remember, for Christians, “goodbye” is not forever. We may part for a time, but not for eternity. However, for everyone else, “goodbye” will tragically be forever.
