I’ve really struggled with what to write about this week. I ask you to please bear with me as I share my heart. We lost a good friend last week. My husband and I have been friends with him for close to 20 years. In all of those years, we never came right out and talked about God, or asked him his views or beliefs. I guess we didn’t know how, and we didn’t want to offend. Now, that he is gone, my heart is so burdened with those questions. Did he know the Lord? Where is he spending eternity?

The idea that someone I genuinely cared about might not have known the Lord, hit me hard. I was overwhelmed with guilt. I know in my heart that those feelings are from the enemy, and I prayed that the Lord would give me some comfort the day after we got the terrible news. But the fact remains, as believers in Jesus Christ, I believe that when you die, you either go to spend eternity with God or you go to spend eternity separated from Him. The latter is almost more than I can bear. So, I ask you as you read this today, please dear friend, examine your own heart and ask yourself that question…are you going to spend your eternity with God or separated from Him?

It’s not about religion—not really. It’s about relationship! As a Christian, I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I know Him and He knows me! I can talk to Him just like I am talking to you right now. I can pour out my heart, my grief, my fears and even my anger. He will listen to all I have to tell Him, without judgement. He is my ally, not my adversary. One of my favorite verses in the Bible, reminds us how we can’t lose God’s love. His salvation is a gift—not earned by our work—a free and irrevocable gift. Romans 8:38-39, “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (ESV)

So, what does that really mean? It means that God loves you! He loves you with a love that is so great, that neither death nor the things of this life can change that love. He loves you so much that even angels nor the rulers of this world can change or take away His love. He loves you so much that things present and things that are in the future, won’t be able to take away His love. He loves you so much that no power, no height, no depth, not anything in all of the universe, can take you away from Him or separate you from His love! He loves you—even if you choose not to love Him back!

Now, I ask you…if the God of the universe loves you with such intensity—why would you turn that love away? What would make you rebuff that love? What could possibly be more valuable than His love? I might not be able to ask my friend, now that he is gone, if he knew the Lord. But I am going to ask you…my dear friend…where will you spend your eternity? Do you know this love? If you don’t, I beg you to look deep into your heart and examine why? Please don’t let another day pass without investing into where your eternity will be kept. I love you and so does Jesus.