To come to Thee is to come home from exile, to
come to land out of the raging storm, to come to rest
after long labour, to come to the goal of my
desires and the summit of my wishes.
-Charles Spurgeon
come to land out of the raging storm, to come to rest
after long labour, to come to the goal of my
desires and the summit of my wishes.
-Charles Spurgeon
Today I started reading Heaven by Randy Alcorn, and already I'm captivated. Freed to imagine what the future holds. To know that the longings I feel when I look at the vast night sky or the surface of the unfathomed ocean will one day be satisfied. What will it be like to live in a new Earth, one free from pollution, decay and death? To climb the highest mountain in my athletic, Olympian body just to experience the view. To feel the warm, fragrant humidity of a tropical jungle on my skin. To sip a cup of tea at an outdoor cafe, delighting in the plaintive tones of an unseen street musician.
Paul and I went to see End of the Spear last night. I feel challenged to live my life for what really matters - eternity. The missionaries who gave their lives to pursue the hearts of an obscure, dwindling tribe personify what C. S. Lewis said: "If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next." They did not value their own comfort, even to the point of death. Knowing that they were ready for heaven, they were willing to die if necessary to reach those who were not.
Oh, that I might live like that! And I barely even know my unsaved neighbors. But I won't waste time regretting lost opportunities. I will "set my mind on things above" to cultivate an eternal perspective (Colossians 3:2). And I'll ask the Lord for creative ideas and an open heart so that His love might reach someone through me.
Paul and I went to see End of the Spear last night. I feel challenged to live my life for what really matters - eternity. The missionaries who gave their lives to pursue the hearts of an obscure, dwindling tribe personify what C. S. Lewis said: "If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next." They did not value their own comfort, even to the point of death. Knowing that they were ready for heaven, they were willing to die if necessary to reach those who were not.
Oh, that I might live like that! And I barely even know my unsaved neighbors. But I won't waste time regretting lost opportunities. I will "set my mind on things above" to cultivate an eternal perspective (Colossians 3:2). And I'll ask the Lord for creative ideas and an open heart so that His love might reach someone through me.
Great insights, Michelle. The sooner we learn to place our lives under God's control and we stop push/pull, the sooner we can roll in harmony with Him. It's a daily awareness, though, isn't it? Challenging with the little ones, but really at all seasons of our lives. A friend of mine uses a word, "GuiDance", to remind her to move with Him in the dance of our lives. Love, Aunt Christine
ReplyDeleteI'm often intrigued by thoughts of heaven. Sometimes it's so overwhelming that I have to distract myself to stop thinking about it because it can be disturbing (for me, anyway) to try to think about concepts that are so beyond my ken. But the simple way you put it makes it feel like there are ways you can dream about it and look forward to it. Like dreams about flying... perhaps that is something we will experience one day in our new bodies on the new earth!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure we will be able to fly! Jesus did when He ascended to Heaven. We'll be able to appear and disappear wherever we want and walk through walls like Jesus did too. After all, He was the first resurrected from the dead, implying that we will have bodies just like His after His resurrection. Except, I believe, for the scars. We will be healed, while He will forever bear the marks of His love for us.
ReplyDeleteI'm also quite amazed at the realization that Christ didn't become Man and then return to being a Spirit. He is forever spirit and flesh perfectly joined. He became like us, His bride. Wow, our stories about Superman are a reflection of a greater truth. Superman became human so he could marry Lois Lane. God became man so He could dwell with us forever!
Boy, Michelle, you are deep waters!
ReplyDeleteI feel so overwhelmed with my earthly life that to even begin to think about Heaven makes me want to cry; it's so beyond what I can handle in my finite mind. Your thoughts on Heaven inspire me to dwell on it too, though, because it is SO easy to get caught up in things that aren't even going to matter when we're there.
As for me...I am going to ride every rooler coaster that I can...waterfalls will be great ones and I won't get hurt at the bottom! And the colors....I love to think on it, it is so exciting!
ReplyDeleteMama