Heaven Has Gained

April 9, 2023

Faith means believing in advance what will only make sense in reverse.
Disappointment with God, Philip Yancey

If you understand that we are only passengers through this land called earth and headed to a destination that is really our home, then you can grapple with suffering and hardship and surrender to the greater plan of the Master. Oh, I understand that some of you might say, that is a fairy tale mentality, Deedra. With the utmost kindness, I would refute, “When have you ever known me to have my head in the clouds?”

I have suffered enough to know that God is real. He was with me as an abused child. He was alongside me as a spiritually-manipulated teen. He was beside me through all my miscarriages as I longed to be a mother. The list could go on, but I think you get the point. God is not a mystical character in the sky. He is a loving and ever-patient Father who walks with us and waits for us to recognize He has been there the whole time.

Make no mistake-God was with Tobias at the beginning and He was with Tobias at the end. Tobias’ life has a purpose far beyond what any of us can imagine. It only makes sense in reverse. Some of you may understand this better in practical terms: Hindsight is 20/20. Just imagine if you could add the spiritual world to that! Your vision would be perfect!

Tobias Memorial Service

My family honored my life. Do you get the gravity of that? I had a family! A family who loved me, and not because I was perfect, not because I was cute (but, c’mon, did you see my cheeks?), not because my rescue in the bush was extraordinary. They loved me because I was created in the image of God. All of us are a reflection of Him, the Creator of the universe, whether we recognize it or not. Some of us just let the world and all it entails take over the image that was stamped on our heart. It was a seal that was intended to never be broken.