My wife’s hairdresser engaged her in a conversation about purgatory recently. She’s a good Catholic girl and she’s against it.
“It’s too much like hell,” she said, “and I can’t believe that God would just torment people because they didn’t get life quite right.”
It is, as my wife pointed out, a common, popular, and completely misguided notion of what the doctrine of purgatory is all about. (It’s also a product of medieval spirituality — but that was a bit too much for a conversation in a salon.) Rightly, she also pointed out that purgatory isn’t about punishment. It’s about healing. Think of it this way, she said, “Would you rather your doctor just quickly stuck a bandage on a compound fracture and sent you on your way, or would you want him to set the bone and close the wound?”
Whether you believe in purgatory or not, her picture of it illustrates several important spiritual truths:
God does want to heal us.
He wants the healing to begin now.
It’s an on-going process in this life.
And it continues as necessary in the next.
As I said when she told me the story, “Some people just have more homework to do in heaven than others. But God loves us all.”
we, as people, expect the healing to be right now, especially physical healing. My patients don’t understand (whether by ignorance or willful disregard) why they have the limitations that they do. Spiritual healing isn’t much different, I would venture to guess. As for homework, it could be like study hall first period in high school…if you did your homework, what was the purpose? (and a bigger question, why did I always get first period study hall??) God watches over us no matter what our station in life…I like to think that He will do so in heaven as well. One of my Sunday School students today asked me what heaven looks like. (as though I’ve been there and came back to Alabama)…I just told them that I think it must be wonderful and we will all be in God’s presence. Looking forward to that!
Whosoever will may come is what Jesus said. The Son of God died for our sins and became our substitute and advocate before His Father. When asked at my time of departure from this earth as to why I deserve to be in heaven my only answer is JESUS. What other merit do I have? None! All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Our precious loving Heavenly Father would indeed be a maniac and a monster if He allowed Jesus go through all His suffering even unto death when His marvelous heart said Not My Will But Thine Be Done and then have us humans hold onto something good that we have done to get us into heaven. God is in control of all the universe and all that is for not even a cricket tries crossing the street without His knowledge and permission. Then why would Jesus have come to earth? He said it was to do His Father’s Will. His Father’s Will was for Jesus to be the slain Lamb of God and that was decided before the foundation of the earth. Let us not kid ourselves or anyone else that we have any goodness outside of Jesus. We can do nothing without Him but with Him all things are possible. He is the Saviour! He is the Lord! Whosoever will may come to Jesus. Let us come now to Him. Another day, another hour, another minute may not come to us. The only way we can come to Jesus is when the Holy Spirit draws us. May heaven’s door open to all of us because of Jesus! There may be levels in heaven where the ones who have been closer to Jesus on earth can be drawn nearer His presence but oh! just to get my little toe inside – wow! what glory!!!!! We will have eternity to climb up higher to worship our wonderful Lord. He is the dearest Friend of all. We really have no knowledge of how rewards will be passed out in heaven except the Scripture tell us that the last will the first and the least will be the greatest. Just to hear the words: Well done, my good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord. He will appear to all those who are looking for Him. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.