The White Shore

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivKaX_d7NRc


This scene from my most loved movie series of all time , Lord of the Rings , moves me every time I hear the exchange between Gandalf and Pippen. The forces at Minas Tirith have been routed and it seems death is at hand . Pippen is in despair , you can see the fear and the lack of hope in his eyes. But then Gandalf explains to him of the hope of life after death , the white shores and a far green country. I love the way Ian McClellan as Gandalf, conveys with his eyes and look the longing and the hope of a better ending then just death .

One of the reasons Pippen is in such despair is he didn't think his end would come like this. Or maybe its just the specter of death .

We don't know the day , nor would we want to but sometimes it comes clearer for some who have been diagnosed with a terminal disease. They have time to face that dark place.

The scene moves me so much because I can recall praying with my Mom after she was told her cancer had gone terminal. Those nights of prayer as I now reflect back on them ,where a sweet and tender blessing. I spoke of the hope in Christ , of that beautiful dawning of life beyond the grave . A place without pain,suffering. In a way I was her Gandalf reassuring her of heaven , the great white shore  . That one day we would see her again .

Those in who die in Christ are ushered into His presence . Just let it roll over for a second . We will see Jesus face to face. The pain,the struggles with sin , the brokenness of this weary world gone .

But that is only half the picture .

[The New Heaven and the New Earth]
    [21:1] Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. [2] And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. [3] And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. [4] He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
(Revelation 21:1-4 ESV)

Can we truly fathom this . The triune God , the one who has saved us , will dwell with us and we will worship Him eternally.If that does not excite you, give you peace and hope , then nothing will.

Death comes to all . It is a enemy , but it has been vanquished , it has been broken by the one who went down to the grave only to rise again that our sins might be forgiven.


“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
     [55] “O death, where is your victory?
        O death, where is your sting?”    [56] The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. [57] But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
(1 Corinthians 15:54-55; 1 Corinthians 15:56-57 ESV)

There is indeed a white shore and a far green country for all who are washed by the blood of the lamb . I hope to see you on that shore . Who knows when that time will be . So come to Christ , repent and believe.