Fly Away!
A Brother Went Home Yesterday
“Some Glad Morning When This Life Is Over, I’ll Fly Away;
To A Home On God’s Celestial Shore, I’ll Fly Away.
I’ll Fly Away, O Glory, I’ll Fly Away;
When I Die, Hallelujah, By And By, I’ll Fly Away“
Albert E. Brumley, 1929
Joyful Mourning
I love this hymn dearly, but I am almost embarrassed to admit it sometimes. The song is literally about looking forward to Death Day. It is so silly of me because, for Christians, Death Day = Happiest Day. For us, this is the day when our Faith becomes sight, the day when we see Jesus face to face, the day when we are finally able to behold him in his full glory and delight in him to the fullest extent. This is the day when our deepest longings will be fully satisfied, and we will experience Joy that no human words can describe. This is the day when our sufferings on earth will all make sense. This is the day when we will hear Jesus say: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!’. This is the day when we get to meet our brothers and sisters in Christ who have died throughout human history. Regardless of whether you believe there is a difference between paradise and heaven, these truths remain.
Yesterday, Pastor and author Timothy Keller passed away. Like many other believers, God has used this brother’s teachings, writings, and testimony of Christ, even as he was battling cancer, to strengthen my faith many a time. I am forever grateful for his work in Christ. Many of us felt great sadness at this news but our brother Tim is finally home, enjoying all of his inheritance in Christ!
A Living Hope
Who else but Jesus offers such Hope? Who else but Jesus holds the keys to life and death?
According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you (1 Peter 1:3-4, ESV).
The pain of death might frighten us but its sting is removed indeed. Death is but a passage to Home.
“Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. (Revelation 1:17-18, ESV).
What a hope! What a savior!
Fly away brother Tim! I can’t wait to meet you some glad morning.
"Oh how glad and happy when we meet, I'll fly away
No more cold iron shackles on my feet, I'll fly away
I'll fly away, O glory, I'll fly away
When I die, hallelujah, by and by I'll fly away
Just a few more weary days and then, I'll fly away;
To a land where joy shall never end, I'll fly away;
I'll fly away, O glory, I'll fly away
When I die, hallelujah, by and by I'll fly away”
Albert E. Brumley, 1929
Please pray for Tim’s family.
