“‘Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave'” (Revelation 1:17b-18, NLT).
Each year brings its share of death, but it seems this one in particular has been full of violent killings. Death is bad enough by itself, but many worry about what happens to their loved ones afterward. People believe many different things about the afterlife, including the belief there isn’t one, which is a sad way to live and die. Christians believe in heaven but hold various views on what it really is and worry about those who aren’t believers.
The truth is no one need be afraid of what happens after we die, believers or not. Jesus assures us we have nothing to worry about because he is the living one who died but is alive forever and ever. His resurrection means he holds the keys to death and the grave. He has forever locked the door on death and its power over us and he has opened the door to eternal life, which no one can close. Some think he may use the keys to lock out a few or even a lot of folks, but our loving Savior isn’t like that. He will only use the keys to lock out the real enemy, never his loved ones, the whole world, for whom he died.
Jesus - Son, Savior, God 
I really like this thought. . .”He will only use the keys to lock out the real enemy, never his loved ones. . .” I love being one of His loved ones too!!
Trish
Amen to that!
Even people who don’t give their lives to Christ ?
Yes! Read my post for Dec. 31 (today). God loves everyone so much he never gives up on us. God is more powerful than our stubbornness and his love is stronger than our disbelief. He has a plan for everyone, all he asks is for us to trust him.