Looking To Our Saviour

At a funeral when I was a kid, I remember hearing about the departed "looking down from heaven on us," lifting a drink in a celebratory salute.  The one who shared this perspective seemed comforted by the thought, and encouraged us that our loved one was in a much better place.  I wondered how one could arrive to such a conclusion, and if it was indeed possible.  As I have grown a bit in understanding concerning the biblical view, the idea suggested runs contrary to the revelation God has provided in His word.

I do not profess to know exactly what departed believers are doing at this moment, for God has not told us.  But it would be altogether inconsistent for anyone in the presence of the Almighty God in heaven to turn their focus from God worthy of worship and look back towards earth with longing.  We long for those who have gone to God, and it is a foreign concept for those in His presence to desire to be anywhere else.  When Jesus spoke of the rich man and Lazarus in Sheol it was the condemned rich man who desired Lazarus to be sent with a warning of the eternal torment awaiting those who die in their sins.  Lazarus, who was finally comforted, did not even address the suggestion.  Perhaps he didn't even hear the rich man begging because he was completely, totally at peace in the presence of the LORD that will never grow old.

The idea of a redeemed soul looking back to earth (if it is even possible) reminds me a bit of Lot's wife who looked longing back to Sodom.  In a vision on Patmos John caught a glimpse of the activity in the throne room of God Revelation 4:8-11:  "The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!" ⁹ Whenever the living creatures give glory and honour and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, ¹⁰ the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: ¹¹ "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created."  These living creatures do not grow weary of offering glory, honour and thanks to God, for all things are created by God for God.  These beings understood what we can be ignorant of:  the awesome splendour and worthiness of God to be praised.

On earth people drink because they are thirsty, to meet a physical need:  in the presence of the God Who gives Living Water in a glorified, perfected state we will discover afresh how much we need Him and want to thank and praise Him.  In Him all our thirsts are satiated and our hunger satisfied.  In the presence of the awesome God it will require a summons from Jesus to return to this earth after the rapture, because we will never be content to be apart from Him.  While thinking about those who have passed looking down upon us may provide a degree of comfort for some, the greatest comfort and help in our sorrow is to do as Hebrews 12 says, to be looking unto Jesus by faith who is the Author and Finisher of our faith.  When our eyes are fixed on Him as we rest in His goodness, mercy and grace, we discover comfort, help and perfect peace not found anywhere else.  In the presence of our Saviour who is our all in all, all else is put in proper perspective.