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As many of you know, Whitney Houston, one of the greats blessed with a beautiful voice, has left this life. As I read the news accounts, and reflected what I know of her as well as her music, I was comforted by the knowledge that those who are the Father’s remain His…and remain in the Family, united with Him after earthly death and reunited with loved ones when they, too, go Home.
“How can you say that, Margret? Look at her life, the bad habits she had, and the way she abused the gifts so obviously granted by the Lord!”
How can I say that? Not only because that’s what the Word tells us, but also because of things Ms. Houston said throughout her life. Let’s consider them and allow our hearts to be soothed by God’s love, and mercy, and grace.
First, Jesus says of Himself and us…
I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by my own. ~John 10:14, NKJ
He also stated that none of those who’d said yes to His offer of relationship had been lost except for the one who denied him, Judas (John 17:12) and, as surely as He made that claim about those He knew when He walked the earth, just as surely He can testify the same about every one of His children throughout the ages of time.
Paul wrote to the Roman church of only one stipulation to salvation…
…if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ~ Romans 10:9,10, New International Version
The writer to the Hebrew believers outlined the only thing that would cause a believer to lose his/her salvation…
If we give up and turn our backs on all we’ve learned, all we’ve been given, all the truth we now know, we repudiate Christ’s sacrifice and are left on our own to face the Judgment–and a mighty fierce judgment will be! …what do you think will happen if you turn on God’s Son, spit on the sacrifice that made you whole, and insult this most gracious Spirit? This is no light matter. God has warned us that he’ll hold to account and make us pay. ~ Heb 10:26-30, The Message
Thirty years farther down the road, the beloved apostle John wrote…
No one who [habitually] denies (disowns) the Son even has the father. Whoever confesses (acknowledges and has) the Son has the Father also. ~ 1 John 2:23, Amplified Bible
But what of her drug abuse challenges? Well, yes, that’s not good. It wasn’t a good way to thank God for His precious gift of life and talent, and wasn’t a good example to set for others. Yet, I don’t know that I’ve ever heard her deny Jesus. To the contrary, on quite a few occasions she told people of His love. Watch this video of her concert tour in 1993 in Copenhagen where she asked the crowd if they knew Jesus loved them, because He does..
Would someone who turned her back on Him say that? And the last song she performed before passing on was “Yes, Jesus Loves Me.” Would someone who didn’t believe do that?
Ultimately, what we have to understand and accept is that God knows the hearts of all people. He knows who are His and believe, and He knows those who pretend yet don’t care for a relationship with Him. There is no one who is perfect, no one who doesn’t sin. Likewise, there is no one who believes who is ever, ever turned away. Not me…not you. God knows who are His and we will all find out when we go Home. Rest in that assurance, dear ones, thanking God for His merciful grace and for an eternity with Him.
All of Heaven’s best to you and yours,
Margret
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