Take Our Last Journey

"Arise you, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction."   Micah 2:10

The hour is approaching when the message will come to us, as it comes to all—“Arise, and go forth from the home in which we have dwell, from the city in which we have done our business, from our family, from our friends. Arise, and take our last journey.” And what know we of the journey? And what know we of the country to which we are bound? A little we have read thereof, and somewhat has been revealed to us by the Spirit; but how little do we know of the realms of the future! We know that there is a black and stormy river called “Death.” God bids us cross it, promising to be with us. And, after death, what come? What wonder-world will open upon our astonished sight? What scene of glory will be unfolded to our view? No traveller has ever returned to tell. But we know enough of the heavenly land to make us welcome our summons there with joy and gladness. The journey of death may be dark, but we may go forth on it fearlessly, knowing that God is with us as we walk through the gloomy valley, and therefore we need fear no evil [Psa.23:4]. We shall be departing from all we have known and loved here, but we shall be going to our Father’s house—to our Father’s home, where Jesus is—to that royal “city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God [Heb.11:10].” This shall be our last removal, to dwell forever with him we love, in the midst of his people, in the presence of God. Christian, meditate much on heaven, it will help us to press on, and to forget the toil of the way. This vale of tears is but the pathway to the better country: this world of woe is but the stepping-stone to a world of bliss. “Prepare us, Lord, by grace divine, for your bright courts on high; then bid our spirits rise, and join the chorus of the sky.”  Hallelujah, God bless.