"And fit us for heaven"
December is here, and Christmas music is all around us. “Away in a Manger” is a tender song that is a favorite for all ages.
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head;
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.
I love thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky,
And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay,
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray;
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven, to live with Thee there.
“And fit us for heaven” causes me to pause a moment and reflect. I’ve been thinking about heaven a lot lately. This week marked the anniversary of my mom’s departure from this earth and her entrance to heaven. Though my grief has faded over the years, I still miss her tremendously. The last few weeks have included several funerals. So many friends and family members are experiencing grief that’s very fresh. They are facing Christmas without someone they love. So many hurting hearts. So many goodbyes.
It’s a strange thing to approach the Christmas season with grief intertwined. How can we join in on the laughter and joy that surrounds us? And yet….it is because of Christmas that we can have hope and joy in spite of our struggles. We serve a God who loved us SO much He was willing to experience the loss of His Son…..so that we might be forgiven and have eternal and abundant life with Him. And just as the separation Christ experienced from the Father was temporary, our goodbyes to brothers and sisters in Christ are temporary as well! Because of Christ, we do not grieve as those who have no hope! We have heaven to look forward to…..we will once again see those who have gone on before us who were followers of Christ. With each goodbye, somehow the “hello again”s are sounding even sweeter. My longing for heaven grows.
This earth is not our home. He is preparing us for life forever with Him. But first, we must be “fitted” for heaven. He’s teaching us to keep our eyes on Him when we are tempted to be distracted by the world around us. God is showing us glimpses of His glory, power, and worthiness. He’s stretching us to move out of our comfort zones and take our part in His Story. Our Father is showing us what it means to truly love. He’s inviting us to play a part in inviting others into this grand adventure.
He promises to see us through whatever we face now, and He wants us to be ready for what’s to come. And Friends, it’s coming! He is going to make everything new! Revelation 21: 3-4: “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away 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.”
And so, these words become a sincere prayer of my heart:
“Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay,
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray;
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven, to live with Thee there.”
