GOOD-BYE PLANET EARTH

“Goodbye Planet Earth” what a nice title for a sermon just before we leave the planet earth. Oh what a day that will be when we shall say goodbye planet earth, see you in a thousand years when you have been created anew. That's the day when we shall bid farewell to this world of sorrow and sin. Yes they will be joy, the joy of seeing Jesus Christ.

This title does not only revive the hope of seeing my Saviour face to face but it also reminds me of the man who longed to see Jesus come during his life time. This man is none other than Robert H. Pierson. I believe it was this excitement and a longing for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ that made him to author the book “GOOD-BYE PLANET EARTH”

His love to see Jesus come is also revealed by his appeal at the 1973 Annual Council. He appealed to the church for a revival and a reformation of true godliness but unfortunate because of the lack of interest by both laity and leadership to this appeal was later described by him as "the greatest disappointment in my life".

His disappointment is seen in the following poem…

In my dream one night I seemed to be
In the earth made new by the crystal sea.
I walked and talked with my Saviour dear,
And viewed the mansions so bright, so clear.
Their beauty was breathless, so gloriously fair
But alas, not a soul was dwelling there.

‘They are all empty'–twas my Masters voice
‘Not My will,' He choked–‘'tis my people's choice.
Long years ago I would have brought them home
Earth's jaded paths no more to roam.
But I'm not just sure that they want to come;
The tinseled world still appeals to some.
I long to have my saved ones here
Right by My side, so near, so near.
Instead I wait, and wait , and wait,
While My loved ones down there still hesitate.'

‘Twas now my turn some words to say,
As we walked and talked on the heavenly way.
‘How long, dear Lord, have we made You wait
To welcome us in through that pearly gate
Long years ago should the work be done
And God's loved ones home with His blessed Son.
Dear Saviour God, what can we do
To haste that homeward flight with You?

‘How can I tell them on earth down there
How much You love, how much You care?
How You long to fill these mansions here
With precious souls to You so dear?
Lord, tell me now, what can I say?
To make them want to haste that day?'

The Saviour paused as he made reply
‘Remind them now why I went to die,
‘Twas to bring them home to be with Me
To fill these mansions, oh, can't they see
How much each one of them mean to Me
I must have them all for eternity!'

Now I'm back on earth–yet twas all so real
My heart still burns with my Lord's appeal.
His poignant words ring in my ears
I long to assuage my Saviour's fears--
‘I'm just not sure that they want to come
The tinsled world still appeals to some--
My friends, do we truly long to go home today,
Or are we quite content in our world to stay?
By Robert H. Pierson


As I contemplate on these words and think about Jesus' love “John 3:16” I also think of the words of one of the most helpful bible commentaries...

"Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church. When the character of Christ is perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own."~Christ's Object Lessons, page 69

The questions is How long will the mansions be empty