I received a question from a young lady recently who’s husband’s life ended tragically a few weeks ago. She wanted to know if those in heaven knew of our pain here on earth (She was thinking of her husband seeing her pain of missing him). Here is the answer I gave her. I ask you to contemplate what you might say…
I do think on some level those in heaven can see us (Hebrews 12:1), however, they have a completely different perspective than we do. They have a heavenly perspective that comprehends and understands much better than us about God’s will… grace… mercy… & comfort. Consider the following…
Those in heaven are comforted by God (Luke 16:25), which means they have no tears or sorrow (Revelation 21:4). Those in heaven know much better and understand God’s ways than we can (Isaiah 55:8-9) which gives them the ability to be at peace whereas we still struggle. Thus… they may know of our pain, and if they do they see and understand that Jesus’ blood redeems our pain and transforms it into a glorious thing in eternity.
One more thought: Those in heaven have a different perspective of time than we do. For them, time is meaningless. Thus… if you live another 80 years before passing on to glory it will seem to your husband as less than a second when you are standing beside Jesus and him.
There is one more passage I wish I had pointed this grieving widow to. A passage of hope Paul wrote in 1 Thess 4:13-18…
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
I really appreciate this today. Being on the mend recently from two major surgeries in one day, I have wondered several times if Mom and Dad actually saw what I was dealing with that day. When I finally awoke after a couple of days, the sun was bright and kept getting brighter as the day went along. I remember telling the nurse or someone that had to be my parents smiling down from Heaven knowing everything would be fine with me. Is that possible?
Thank you for your comment Judy. I’m glad you have recovered from your surgeries. As for your question, I know you want me to answer truthfully. I can agree that we have a certain sentimental bent in all of us. We like to think that our loved ones somehow look over us and sometimes we think we can sense their presence. I would call that memories that we all have of our loved ones. But as far as equating the sun’s brightness and warmpth actually BEING them looking down from heaven and smiling… well… personally I wouldn’t interpret it that way.
In Matt 5:45 it is written, “For He (God) makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” In other words that day when the sun was shining upon you, it was indeed a blessing… from somone who loves you more than your mom or dad. It was God our Father! If you felt better thinking of your mom and dad for a while, that’s fine. But the much greater blessing was God reminding you that He is watching over you always. He was reminding you that He brings/allows both good and difficult things into your life. AND that he is ultimately in control of them all.
Hope that makes sense and that you can see my reasoning. Bless you!