HEAVEN
Death was my mortal enemy . . . its specter haunted me
And made me wonder what would be . . . my final destiny
Would I simply be no more, my time on earth expired?
Or would there be an afterlife, which I so long desired?
And what of loved ones gone before, what was their final fate?
Would they be waiting for me if I reached that Golden Gate?
There are so many answers that I need before I go
Within my heart I feel that there are truths that I must know
I gazed upon a volume that was open near my bed
And saw upon those pages what in Scriptures had been said
I read each line with passion, as I'd never done before
And learned of all the wonders that our Father has in store.
For those who truly do believe, a new life will begin
A life of joy and beauty, free from pain as well as sin
Where sorrow cannot enter in, nor fear or desolation
And man can worship unashamed, his God with adoration
Where every man is equal in the kingdom high above
And welcomed in most warmly by the One he learned to love
Where sun and moon are absent, no more needed for their light
God's radiance alone will shine all through the day and night
Believers all will live again, according to the story
As written in the Holy Book, we'll be reborn in Glory
For though the body turns to dust, the Spirit lives forever
Eternal as our Lord, our God, we'll be once more, together.
I wept as I turned each new page, the truths I sought were there
I learned of golden cities, sights and sounds beyond compare
These words were from the Bible, they had been there all along
Reading them I felt refreshed, my mind and body strong
No longer will I wonder, for the message now is clear
No need for mortal anguish, even death I will not fear
For death is only temporal, while God prepares a place
For those who love and honor Him, whose teachings they embrace
Death be gone!! Take your miseries; no fear of you remains
For Christ has been the victor as He cast you down in chains
And in your place we're given life, through Jesus' resurrection
Then we. . . like He. . . will live anew, in Heavenly perfection.
Dawn Stratton ©1993