Roll Call!

I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he die, he shall live. John 11:25

During my growing up years in school and even during the first few years of my own classroom teaching, it was required that the teacher call roll every morning. Now, in my small town, a teacher could easily look around and know who was absent, but they called the roll each morning anyway. I found it comforting to hear the well known voices reply, “here“, because it signaled that everyone was well, present and accounted for. If someone didn’t answer roll call, it affected us all.

In the old days, if a student were absent, the teacher would immediately reach out to the family to make sure that the student did actually have a reason to be absent, and that the parents knew about said absence. It was always important to know that nothing bad was going on at home.

There always were, of course, those with chronic absences no matter how many folks tried to help them or their family. The thinking was that it just wasn’t that important to be in school when there were other things to be done and they were needed at home. Nobody was surprised when on many occasions, they didn’t answer “here” when the roll was called.

Just like Christians who know there is a heaven and that it’s important to learn about Jesus now, some of us just don’t think it’s important enough to practice the things we know the Bible asks of us.

The old favorite hymn When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder was inspired by disappointment. James Black, the writer, was calling roll one day for a youth meeting at his Methodist Church. One name didn’t answer -young Bessie, the daughter of an alcoholic. Crestfallen at her absence, Mr. Black was heard to say, “Oh God, when my name is called up yonder, may I be there to respond.”

The important thing here is that sometimes we might miss roll call on earth such as in a classroom or a job, but we want to be sure we are able to answer “here” in heaven.

In order to make an investment in heaven, we must suffer losses of things we covet here. Things like anger, resentment, hatred, jealousy, unfaithfulness, greed, and so many other sins we harbor in our hearts must be given up. Even though others might call giving these up a sacrifice, we know another whose love has been proved by the greatest possible test, and He now lives in heaven and prepares a place for us. If we call ourselves Christians, we have a vision of something far beyond the difficulties and disappointments of this life. Our journey is one that leads to fulfillment, completion, and an enriched life.

Years ago in my first year of teaching, I taught in a school which was in a very “rough” neighborhood. There were gangs, drugs, and abuse in the homes all around the school. I was 22 years old, newly married, oblivious to a life other than the one I knew, and beginning my first teaching assignment. One morning on my way to school, I heard on the news about a shooting which had resulted in the death of a young man whose name I recognized as the brother of one of my students, Nancy. When I arrived at school, the bad news was confirmed. I was so ill prepared for the events of that day.

As I began the day knowing how sad all the children and us teachers were, we were instructed to make the day as normal as possible for these fourth graders, so I started by calling the roll. When we got to Nancy’s name, I hesitated, but called her name. From the doorway came her voice answering “here.” As she walked in and looked at all the familiar faces, her face turned from fear and tragedy into joy and love.

Nancy’s mother had sent her to school because she knew we were all waiting there to offer her acceptance, sympathy and love. As I moved toward the door and hugged her in my arms, I began to feel one after another of the children all wrapping arms around us and each other. It was as I would imagine Jesus hugging each of us when the roll is called for us.

That is the kind of reception we can all look forward to when we answer the roll in our eternal home. Two things are certain, our Father’s house is our home, and He is present there. Roll Call will be a joyous celebration!

The great weight of eternity hangs upon the small wire of time. Thomas Brooks

When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound and time shall be no more, And the morning breaks eternal bright and fair; When the saints of earth shall gather over on the other shore, And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.