-Graveyards in Heaven-

“And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

-Hebrews 6:11-12

“A truly faithful servant is not faithful one day and then unfaithful the next.”

-D.L.

When we see a grave we think of loss, sadness, pain, anger, and the very limited time we have here on Earth. Someone has left this life behind and, more often than not, they have left grieving loved ones behind. That is how we see a grave here on Earth. Now, imagine that Heaven and Hell have graveyards. Remember, a grave is door way (it is THE door way) for one person, and one person alone. On Earth graveyards are viewed as gloomy, dark, sad places, but in Heaven they are viewed with joy and wonder. Viewing our grave in Heaven will be very different from how we used to view them. We will look at that pure white stone and contemplate God’s work in each and every moment of our mortal life on Earth. The somber reality will also be present at the first viewing of our gravestone, and that will be the fact that we have crossed over. That door is closed and what’s done is done. All of the joys and trials of mortal life will be behind us and a glorious, sin-free existence before awaits us. Graveyards in Heaven will be a popular gather place. As we gather around the greatest mile-markers of our lives, we will marvel at God’s work in us, rejoice, and celebrate. Now for Hell. Oh, what a horrifying thought, to view one’s grave from THAT side of the door. The regret and horror is not possible to describe. The graveyards in Hell, those will easily be the most avoided area in that horrible prison. Graves in Hell will only be seen as reminders of lose, shame, and unquenchable regret. All of the wasted years will bring back memories that would only stoke that fire of burning anger, fear, and regret. Why am I making a point to mention “regret” so much? Because I do not believe that there is a more painful emotion than regret. Sadness and anger can be vented through passionate, reckless actions, but regret just sits there. It is an unseen, agonizing weight upon the heart. It tortures the mind, it makes itself known at times of rest, it burns in the front of our mind during times of self-analysis. The large, black, crumbling stones will stand as reminders that there is no going back. As they cling, weeping upon that cold stone, they will curse God and crawl away into eternal darkness. We think our graveyards here on Earth are gloomy, at least we view them knowing we still have time. The graveyards in Heaven and Hell will stand as reminders that there is no going back. So as you view the graveyards here, remember, we are living off borrowed time, and that in the end, no one truly expects death. Even with thousands of years of proof, people still live as though the very reality of death itself does not apply to them. Let us live for our death, so that we will not have to regret so much when the final door closes behind us.

“For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment, if He did not spare the ancient world when He brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if He rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)- if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment. This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings; yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not heap abuse on such beings when bringing judgment on them from the Lord. But these people blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like unreasoning animals, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like animals they too will perish.”

-2 Peter 2:4-12

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”

-Matthew 25:23

“Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after Me.’ They will also answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing to clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help You?’ He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.’ Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

-Matthew 25:41-46