Can Our Loved Ones See Us From
Heaven?
In my work with women
breaking free from addiction and abuse, there is one question I have
avoided answering. It is a topic that invariably comes up in discussions
about regret.
“Now that I am sober, can my
mother-father-granny-pawpaw see me from heaven? I want them to know that
I finally got right with God. They would be so happy for me!”
Most of the time I would like my parents to know what
I’ve done since their deaths. But frankly, there are a lot of days I’d
rather they didn’t. Maybe I’m grumpy, fighting sinful urges, gaining
weight, or wallowing in self-recrimination. I doubt that every moment of
my life would bring them joy. Furthermore, it feels like an invasion of
my privacy for them to eternally spy on me from heaven.
So, is it possible for our deceased loved ones to
watch us, and maybe even visit when the situation warrants? Scripture
does document incidents of movement from one to the other. Two biblical
accounts come to mind.
King Saul was terrified when he saw the Philistine
army prepare to attack the armies of Israel. (1 Samuel 28) Worse yet,
the Lord refused to advise him through dreams, sacred lots, or his
prophets. So Saul disguised himself and traveled by night to a medium at
Endor who called down the deceased prophet Samuel.
“Why have you disturbed me by calling me back?”
Samuel asked. Saul explained the gravity of his situation and the
prophet’s reply was anything but reassuring. “…The Lord will hand you
and the army of Israel over to the Philistines tomorrow, and you and
your sons will be here with me.” The following day went just like Samuel
prophesied.
Second, Matthew documented the incident when Jesus
took his three closest disciples with him up a high mountain. “As the
men watched, Jesus’ appearance changed so that his face shone like the
sun, and his clothing became dazzling white. Suddenly Moses and Elijah
appeared and began talking to Jesus.” (Matt 17:2-3)
Apparently the saints in glory (when willed by God)
can travel back and forth for specific assignments.
Certified life coach and author R.J. Thesman talks
about a woman she met in a nursing home. In her 80’s, Cora loved
reminiscing about her life during World War II, the Depression, and the
rebuilding of America. She had a son, Buddy, who loved his dog. They
often played peek-a-boo in the backyard cavorting under the sheets
drying on the clothesline and jumping over the old tree stump. Buddy
died in the flu epidemic of 1918, causing Cora to grieve deeply.
Then one day she heard the dog barking. She looked in
the backyard and saw something that had not happened since Buddy became
ill. The dog was jumping over the tree stump and played peek-a-boo under
the drying sheets. She felt certain their dog was playing with her son,
even though she herself could not see him. That was the day her broken
heart began to heal.
Why would someone in heaven even want to watch what
is happening on earth? Could it be that God protects the deceased from
sadness, but allows them to see people and events that bring them joy?
Hebrews 12:1 says, “We are surrounded by a great
cloud of witnesses.” The implication is that within that cloud are those
who’ve gone before us. They cheer us on, praising God for our progress
as we “run with endurance the race set before us.”
Since God is with us, and our saved love ones are
with Him, perhaps they really aren’t so far away.
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