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Day 3 - Tuesday, December 2, 2025
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12: 2
The topic “Imagine” in the bible is rife with negative things to say! John Lennon’s song too as he imagines no heaven, no hell, and no religion too! But is this realistic? I wager we have all known instances of heaven and hell in our life, some more eventful than others.
I bore witness to this with my husband’s father and stepmother. She was such a sprite of joy but a couple of years ago something started to change...the onset of dementia. How hard it was to witness this gradual loss of a person we had known and loved. It was like a disappearing act.
One could not be blamed for not wanting to be a witness to such a thing. But Scott was not to be deterred. When it came to family he was always there, driving the 2+ hours to be with his father who was at a loss at what to do. Helping to move them from their home to a care facility, working through the financial hurdles, and most importantly being there for a dad who, as he put it, was “just so sad”.
She passed away quickly and through it all I watched a father and son, who had not been close through much of life, find a loving and caring relationship that is the lifeline his father so needs.
So yes, I believe there is both heaven and hell. Not so much the ethereal ones of the bible but the ones front and center in our daily lives. I think the one twist on it is to imagine the seeds of a heaven in those moments of hell we inevitably face. To imagine a world of positive outcomes when one is in despair is a tall order. That is where I believe the finest parts of religion come to play.
Prayer: Dear God, we thank you for blessing us with a mind and the imagination to know you. Help us to face our personal times of hell on earth. With faith in You and knowledge that You will be with us through these ordeals may we experience a bit of heaven here on earth, much as we did when Jesus came to us one blessed night. Amen.
Submitted by David Streit
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