Today's Journey Or Maybe Thursday 8th?

Predestination

It is a concept and a theological "thing" that has caused more nose tweaking than almost anything else in the ongoing study of the Christian Faith. If we are "pre-destined", say some, that must mean that Christians are chosen by God before Birth and there is not much point in anyone else bothering.

But does it really say that?

We who consider ourselves as enthusiasts or "bus watchers" know about destinations!

When fbb was nobbut a lad, destination blinds in Northampton wei very informative with four lines of text and a number.

Likewise fbb's country buses, i.e. United Counties, were similarly helpful.

Nowadays, mostly, you just get an ultimate destination and a route number.

Theology says the God has a destination on offer to every human being. We are all predestined with a route to eternity with God, to heaven (another touchy concept).

But whether we go that way, whether we catch the Divine Bus and follow His planned route is a different matter,  The highly risky gift of "free will" allows us to accept or reject the destination God offers.

In this, fbb has something in common with the late Queen Elizabeth. They both accepted that God's destination for them was to ultimately be with Him in Eternity.

And no; neither fbb nor Her Maj is capable of understanding Heaven.

Suffice it to say that modern Cosmology with its theories of Multiple Universes all intertwined with one another makes Heaven entirely possible. Likewise subatomic particle physics which suggests that we are nothing more than a collection of electrical plasma super strings of energy makes it easier to imagine the "new creature" we can become after our earthly life is ended.

Today HMQ will be / is being / has been (depending on when you read this) committed to the safe and eternal keeping of the ultimate Monarch, God in Heaven.

As the ABC** said in an interview yesterday, (** ABC - Arch Bishop of Canterbury)

"She will rest in Peace then rise in Glory."

Or as the golfer Bernhard Langer once said, "At a funeral, a non believer passes from life into death; but a Christian believer passes from Death into Life."

Although understanding "Heaven" is beyond any living human being, we do get some hints in the Bible.

The angel also showed me the river of the water of life, sparkling like crystal, and coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb and flowing down the middle of the city's street. On each side of the river was the tree of life, which bears fruit twelve times a year, once each month; and its leaves are for the healing of the nations. 

Nothing that is under God's curse will be found in the city.

The throne of God and of the Lamb (i.e. Jesus) will be in the city, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. There shall be no more night, and they will not need lamps or sunlight, because the Lord God will be their light, and they will rule as kings forever and ever.

It's a vision, innit? It is not intended to be taken literally.

Funerals are not easy for an unbeliever. They are not easy for a believer either as the loss of a loved one it a really toughy.  fbb has taken his late No 2 son's funeral and his sister's (plus several more). 

But there should also be joy as well as we say farewell to a Christian friend who has boarded the final bus journey to get to its predestined glorious terminus.

Seems to fbb to be well worth hopping on the bus, not off!

Herewith the closing words (showing all options!) of a typical Church funeral service.

God Be With You, Ma'am. (Some may just shorten that farewell to "Goodbye"!)

Normal blogging resumes tomorrow.

 Mext Variety blog : Tuesday 20th Septemberr