Eternal Life

Over on my blog entitled "Saronic Stories" I have spoken today about Donald & Dina Lofthouse, a couple we met on holiday in Greece. Donald had been a plumber in his earlier years and worked in areas where he had inhaled asbestos dust. I had the experience of seeing him sink to nothing because the cancer this dust had caused in him. It was not a good experience, I can tell you. Eventually I attended his funeral at Disley Parish Church and subsequent cremation at Stockport.

Dina, his Greek wife, tried to carry on without him but suffered a stroke from which she never fully recovered. Whilst she was still ill she flew back to Anghistri, the Greek island where she was born. In August 2002 she died and was buried in the cemetery at Megalohori, her home village. A month later we arrived there to find she had gone. It was very sad to visit her grave and know we would never see her again.

Yet, on the other hand, there was the knowledge of what pleasure we had known thanks to Don and Dina. They had been a devoted couple but each was a great character. It makes one wonder if we carry on in partnership in the continuation or eternal life. I have taken over 80 funeral services to date, which is fairly unusual for a lay preacher. From time to time I have felt the need to use the following reading from the Book of Revelation in the cremation service I have taken:

"Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, sparkling like a crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the sity's street. On either side of the river stood a tree of life, which yields twelve crops of fruit, one for each month of the year. The leaves of the trees are for the healing of the nations. Every accursed thing shall disappear. The throne of God and the Lamb will be there, and his servants shall worship him; they shall see him face to face and bear his name on their foreheads. There shall be no more night, nor will they need the light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God wil;l give them light; and they shall reign forever."

For me this is a great comfort and I love the poetry in the writing of this tale. I like to think that Don and Dina, together, enjoy the light that shines without need of sun or moon. If they hurt there is the healing quality of each tree of life. Dina used to love visiting Marks and Spencer in Manchester and buying her clothes there. Don used to like popping to the local pub for a drink just before closing time. I like to think they find similar or equivalent things in their new life in the eternal city of God.

The city described by John the Divine is to be sought by each Christian. It is the goal in our lives. It is the greatest gift we shall ever recieve in days to come. As for us, we cannot see the celestial city but I feel sure we can rely upon its existence because of the promises of Jesus. At my father's funeral service Rev Bernard Spong read these words, "In my Father's house are many mansions if this were not so I would have told you." At the time I felt great comfort that my father was to be allocated a wonderful mansion in which to live.

It made me feel that each Christian was moving slowly towards a wonderful afterlife in which he/she could never, ever be frightened into doing anything over which there was a question mark. Later, at my mother's funeral service, Rev Clifford Holgate said, "Death is but a horizon and a horizon is simply as far as the eye can see." This was another comfort to me - that there was a life for us to inherit and it would be a happy one. It was simply out of sight. No matter what our beliefs and no matter what we have or have not done, I believe there is a continuing life awaiting us where we shall be eternally happy. Jesus gave us a promise so it will be true.