Some people say that life feels like a brief second. Enoch could have said that life feels like a brief year. Jokes aside; Enoch’s existence has left us a great legacy: apparently, he walked life’s hills and dales in close fellowship with God. Monday through Sunday, rain or shine, he clung to his Rock.

It’s when we are left to our own devices when we get lost. We need landmarks; we need a tour guide; we need a roadmap to make it through unknown territory; life – if anything – is unknown territory the minute we are born. Growing up, we remember our past, we know where we are today and maybe we know where we are headed, but we never know what the future holds; God who holds the future is well equipped to navigate us through life’s pitfalls and changes.

Whether we are comfortable or uncomfortable in our bodies – the sobering truth is that we do not own them; they are leased to us, much like a home we rent. Some people take good care of their rental; some of us are a little more negligent. Death is rude and comes uninvited. We may receive an eviction notice when diagnosed with a terminal disease. Or death may happen in a split second of a freak accident – nobody knows. What we do know: when our lease is up, we will move out of our bodies for good.

Walking with the Lord, we have already taken various leaps of faith, big and small. The exodus from our bodies, while a traumatic event, really represents yet another leap of faith. If Jesus has left His footprints in our hearts and minds, the prospect of death will not terrify us too deeply. The best part of our passing is the moment we will finally get to meet Jesus in person. During our lifetime on Earth we have grown familiar with His voice. Now we get to see His face – He has been our Friend all along. Now we move into His neighborhood.

Jesus has left us with a powerful promise, which John penned down in his gospel for everyone to hear (John 14:2):

“My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?”

Jesus would not lie about heaven. He is from heaven, and so we can rightly assume that His report is authentic and reliable. We do well to believe in Him.