"Cross Over"

 An old friend just crossed over,

It had been quite awhile,

Since we had a conversation,

When I think of him I smile.

His was a godly legacy,

A man who loved the Lord,

Finished strong and endured long,

According to God’s Word.

I wonder ‘bout the thoughts he had,

How he felt when time got thin,

Was it mostly joy or sadness,

When his body failed him then?

No doubt he went to heaven,

I know I’ll join him there,

Our days on earth are numbered,

On God we cast our care.

But I’m left here with my praying,

And all my memories, too,

And asking God to show the way,

On what else I must do.

Twenty years or thirty left,

No one really knows,

How much longer this assignment,

Before somebody goes.

So, Lord, don’t let me waste it,

Or miss your final plan,

But be totally committed,

And in your grace to stand.

Who else can I witness to,

What else is in store,

Fill me with Your Spirit,

And open every door.

And then when death comes closer,

And heaven calls my name,

The grace that saved me long ago,

Will forever be the same.

To help me finish what I started,

When so long ago I knew,

Jesus died for even me,

And, yes, He died for you.

And then I will cross over,

To heaven’s golden shore,

Life’s journey finally ended,

There with Jesus ever more.

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, NLT)

It’s a verse many of us memorized in church, perhaps the most popular second only to the twenty-third psalm. It offers us hope that this earthly life, book-ended by birth and death, is not the only thing we have. We have the promise of heaven. When you’re young and feel bullet-proof, life’s possibilities seem endless. But after you live life for awhile and deal with its harsh realities, you can be tempted to give up on things that matter. Or some even get so disillusioned they don’t think anything matters anymore. But that’s not true. Truth is, this whole earthly life is about eternal life. And Jesus is the key to it all. He is the answer and the anchor that God the Father has sent to give us both abundant and eternal life. Believe it!

Lord, help us recognize and receive the gift of Jesus and eternal life, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Mikel Donahue, mikeldonahue.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Mikel, and God bless you.