“ABSENT” AND /OR “PRESENT”
Thanksgiving, a time when many loved ones are present, and
some, because of circumstances are absent. Anyone with reasoning
abilities understands the situation. It is a common occurrence
experienced by everyone in some situation or other many times in life.
However, when it comes to spiritual matters many hearts and minds become
thoroughly confused and the understanding seems to become unclear.
On Wednesday, just before Thanksgiving this year (2009), we had a
dear friend depart from a family and from a church, both of which
loved her dearly, to spend the holiday with another friend and family.
She is not now here with us, she is in heaven with the Lord and others
she had known down here.
There was weeping and a sense of loss down here, while there was
rejoicing and a sense of gain in Heaven. While we all know that our
lives will be different now, we are sure that hers will be even more so.
We are left here to continue to serve the Lord Jesus Christ to the
best of our abilities, experience the reality of the exasperations and
demands of this physical life. She, on the other hand has gone to enjoy
all the splendors of Heaven, rejoicing in the presence of the Lord and
to serve Him in an even greater capacity.
She had lived a full life this side of Heaven, having placed her
faith in Christ some years earlier, having a husband who was saved and
shared in a spiritual walk with her. Her life was one of faithfulness
and of a positive witness for her family and friends. She saw her son
and his wife, along with her Grand-Children saved and serving the Lord
energetically in a good Bible Church.
The Apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God,
wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:6-8, “We are always confident, knowing
that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent
from the Lord. ( For we walk by faith, not by sight: ) We are
confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the
body, and present with the Lord.” ( underlining is mine )
There are two words in these verses that we all understand and
have no problem with until they are used in conjunction with or in
reference to Spiritual matters. Many in various religions will say that
death is a termination, that there is nothing afterward, it means
annihilation. How sad an outlook is that? Others will say that there are
many phases of death, that one must pass through many various
reincarnations. And, who knows still be unsure about where one goes
after all that. Some offer ‘another planet or world’ where one can be
King or Queen of their existence and rule as they wish. Of course all of
these fantasies are completely foreign to the Bible. There are only two
destinies for those who are ‘absent from the body’. They
are clearly set out for everyone in the Scripture, namely Heaven or
Hell. The soul does not ‘sleep’, it rises immediately to be
present with the Lord, or descends immediately to be
present in hell with the Devil and his angels and all others who
have chosen that destination. The presence or
absence of anyone in either of these places rest on one simple
matter - their acceptance or their rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
EKDEMEO - is the Greek word meaning to go, or to
depart. Man is a tripartite person, body, soul and spirit.
At death, the soul of man departs from the body.
ENDEMEO - is the Greek word meaning “to be present,” or to “be at
home,” or “to be beside”
Our good friend had decided in this life to endemeo ( be at
home beside ) the Lord. She is there today.
Her soul has ekdemeo -departed, gone to be in the presence of
the Lord. We miss her. Her family has decided to
Ekdemeo to be with her one day. To reunite their fellowship and
eternal life with her.
All who knew Mrs. Retha Fenn will miss her, and will remember her
testimony
