Thursday, February 3, 2011

Vanished!


Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. James 4:14

        Yesterday was a difficult day for many in our local church community. We had a funeral at 10 a.m. for a dear Saint of God who lived to age 83. She was loved and cherished by so so many. Then a few hours later around 2:30 I received a call from the Sheriffs Dept from a lady’s home who attends our church. The news was not good. I
was requested to come to the home of a mom who was being informed her son died in car wreck. Within minutes I was out the door on my way. The rest of the details have since become difficult for many to grasp and understand. Hunter was 18 and a great young man. The circumstances that led to his death at this point are not as important as the reality that Hunter is gone.
Hunter Perez

            Today was the day after his death. Many questions surround many in our youth group and most of our hearts. We got to meet Hunter about 6 months ago. He first came to Church to witness his mom get baptized into the Christian faith. A few weeks later he was at church 2-3 days a week. During that time, he was doing volunteer work to qualify for his high school diploma degree. Another long story, but it was good for all and Hunter was a great young man whose main transportation was his skate board.

            Hunter got to know my whole family and my youngest kids loved to talk with Hunter and my 11 year old son learned stuff about skateboarding from him.

         Now Hunter is gone, dead and beyond this life. But where is he? Many say after you die you just cease to exist. James in the New Testament poses a question regarding our lives and the aspect of how little control we truly have over our time and duration. We are like a mist or a vapor. Seen and then gone, never to be seen again by us on this side of life. Some of our lives go on for decades and a few even make it to a century. Many die within moments of life, others during childhood and then others from accidents, deceases and bad choices.

   Whatever the timing and regardless of the circumstances one question we all should deal with and that is the question of eternity. Our eternal home is based on our trust in Jesus Christ. With hope and encouragement I am glad Hunter was shifting gears and learning to understand His faith in Jesus. Within the time I got to know Hunter I asked Him if anyone had ever discipled him in the Christian Faith. When he told me not really, I asked if he wanted to start doing some bible studies to learn about his faith and grow in his knowledge of the Savior he claimed to know. With Joy Hunter said sure Pastor let’s do it. Below is a copy of the 4 sessions he had completed. He left them at church for us to review and never got to finish the next 4 sessions. But the 4 he did complete gives great evidence and hope to many young people who might not have this same hope.

            Did Hunter make it to heaven with Jesus? I believe the answer is YES. He left these bible studies behind at church the week before He died. He attended youth group on Wednesday night and the following Tuesday he and many others got surprised with news we could not comprehend. I also picture Jesus sending his Angels to escort Hunter from Fort Florida Road in Debary right into the presence of God. I am sure Hunter would like to share what he found out about God and heaven with those he left behind, but of course that is not part of the ability of those who die. If you were to die today do you know where you would go? Hunter knew God and wrote out the his answers and testimony in bible studies that gives assurance to me and many others that there is hope beyond the grave and that Hope is JESUS Christ risen from the dead.


If you wonder about your own eternal home then I invite you to go through these basic steps. Follow this link, pray and let me know if you decided to follow Jesus as Hunter decided.