Daily Devotions – Our Loved Ones in Heaven

Daily Devotions – Our Loved Ones in Heaven

Photo by Naassom Azevedo on Unsplash

 

Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:

 

Luke 20:27-38 (NIV)
The Resurrection and Marriage
27 Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. 28 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. 30 The second 31 and then the third married her, and in the same way, the seven died, leaving no children. 32 Finally, the woman died too. 33 Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”

34 Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, 36 and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children since they are children of the resurrection. 37 But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”

 

3. In what way(s) will our relationships with earthly families be like/different from our relationships with others?

 

Holy God, in Your wisdom You created marriage and families to be the foundational structure in society on earth. Two are better than one when they work together on common goals. However, earthy relationships still can be challenging, family members can be disappointing and loneliness continues to plague many. Thank You Lord for the glimpse of Heaven where the resurrection will transform all our human relationships. In heaven, the need for marriage as a means of continuing a family line will be removed. We will be as married to You as You become our main focus. Instead of disappointments, or tears, we will all be in full relationship with each other as fellow members of Your Holy family. No more loneliness, jealousy or rejection. We will each feel fully loved, accepted and will work happily together serving and worshiping You in Your heavenly kingdom. I look with hope to that day when all of Your people will be together as one family in heaven. Until that day, I pray that you bless the earthly relationships in Your name. Amen