Our Daily Bread: Finding Comfort in Times of Loss Sample

A Happy Life

Cornelia Dobner was 90 when she died and went to her home in heaven. Her life had been characterized by hard work, self-sacrifice for her family, and loyalty to God and her husband.

Soon after the funeral, two of her great-granddaughters put their feelings into words by writing notes to her. One of them, in the clear block printing of a 6-year-old, wrote, “I hope you have a happy life up in heaven.”
That child’s hope for her great-grandmother is an unquestioned certainty for every follower of Christ who dies. The Bible describes our eternal home as a place where there is no more suffering, sorrow, crying, pain, impurity, disease, nor evil (REVELATION 21:4,27). It also tells us what is there: the Lamb (Jesus), the redeemed, the river of life, the throne of God, the tree of life, the light of God (REVELATION 21:22; 22:1-5).

Jesus said that He would go and prepare a place for us (JOHN 14:1-3). And the apostle Paul described it as the place where “we shall always be with the Lord” (1 THESSALONIANS 4:17). If that’s not happiness, what is?

Yes, like Cornelia Dobner, every believer in Jesus can look forward to “a happy life up in heaven.” —Dave Egner

To be with Jesus forever is the sum of all happiness.