Imagine the implications of being involved in bringing the love of God to those who have never known it, and of getting your church and family to join with you too.Picture this very possible scene. You finish your life on this earth. You arrive in heaven. There, enthroned in all His glory, is our Lord Jesus Christ. The other saints and martyrs you have read about are there: Abraham, Moses, Peter and Paul, plus great leaders from more recent times. Your family and loved ones who obeyed Christ are also there. They are all welcoming you into heaven.
You walk around in bliss, filled with joy and praises. All the promises of the Bible are true. The streets really are gold, and the glory of God shines brightly, replacing the sun, moon and stars. It is beyond the power of any man to describe.
Future Glory
Then, scores of strangers whom you don’t recognize start to gather around with happy smiles and outstretched hands. They embrace you with affection and gratitude.
“Thank you . . . thank you . . . thank you,” they repeat in a chorus. With great surprise you ask, “What did I do? I have never seen you before.”
They tell you the story of how they came to be in heaven, all because your love and concern reached out to them while they were on earth. You see that these persons come from “every tongue and tribe,” just as the Bible says—from countries all over the world.
“But what exactly did I do?” you ask. Then, like a replay of a movie, your mind goes back to a day in your life on earth when a local mission coordinator came to your church. He told you about the countless millions in this world still waiting for hope. Then he told you about those tirelessly bringing them hope and challenged you to support their work.
“As a result of your support,” the crowd continues, “one of our own—a national worker—came to us and showed us, through his life and teaching, who Christ is. He lived simply, just like us, speaking our language and dressed in our clothing. We were able to accept his message easily. We learned for the first time about the love of Jesus, who died on the cross for us, and how His blood redeemed us from sin, Satan and death.”
As the crowd finishes, other whole families come up to you. You can see the tenderness and gratefulness on their faces as well. They join the others, taking you in their arms and thanking you again.
“How can we ever express our appreciation for the love and kindness you showed by supporting us on the earth in our service to the Lord? We endured hardships as we sought to serve our own people who had never heard the Good News. Now they are here in eternity with us.
“In the middle of our suffering, you came into our lives with your prayers and financial support. Your help relieved us so much—making it possible for us to carry on the work of the Lord.
“We never had a chance to see you face-to-face in the world. Now we can see you here and spend all eternity rejoicing with you over all the Lord has done.”
Good and Faithful Servant
Now Jesus Himself appears. You bow as He quotes the familiar Scripture verses to you:
“I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me. . . . Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me” (Matthew 25:35–36, 40).
Is this just a fanciful story, or will it be reality for many thousands of Christians? I believe it could happen as Christians arrive in heaven and see how they have laid up treasure where moth and rust cannot corrupt.
Dr. KP Yohannan, founder and director of Gospel for Asia, has written more than 200 books, including Revolution in World Missions, an international bestseller with more than 4 million copies in print. He and his wife, Gisela, have two grown children, Daniel and Sarah, who both serve the Lord with their families.
Gospel for Asia has been serving the “least of these” in Asia since its beginning in 1979, often in places where no one else is serving. GFA supports national workers who are serving as the hands and feet of Christ by ministering to people’s needs so they can understand the love of God for them for the first time. GFA is engaged in dozens of projects, such as caring for poor children, slum dwellers and widows and orphans; providing clean water by funding wells; supporting medical missions; and meeting the needs of those in leprosy colonies. Through GFA’s Bridge of Hope Program, tens of thousands of children are being rescued from the generational curses of poverty and hopelessness.
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Read about the people who are being helped by national worker Pastor Daha.
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