WATCHWORD:
“In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2-3).
“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” (Revelation 7:9-10)
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect (Hebrews 12:22-23).
Meditation:
Heaven
Do you remember Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing across the silver screen to songs like “Puttin’ on the Ritz”, “Top Hat, White Tie and Tails”, or perhaps “Let’s Face the Music and Dance”? I’ll bet that many of you have a mental movie playing in your mind of those lovely moments. How about “Cheek to Cheek”? That’s another one:
Heaven, I’m in heaven
And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak
And I seem to find the happiness I seek
When we’re out together dancing, cheek to cheek
Enough of memory flashbacks, I just wanted to introduce the topic of Heaven. What do you think about it? How would you describe it? Is it a place? Spiritual, physical, neither, some of both?
I’ve told you before that one of my favorite Christians authors, for both fiction and non-fiction, is Randy Alcorn. About 20 years ago I got my first Alcorn book, The Treasure Principal, a delicate, spiritual and humorous treatment of stewardship. I now have five of his books, and I am currently reading, for the second time through, his fiction thriller, Deadline.
Without spoiling it for you avid readers, there are portions of Deadline where Alcorn beautifully describes Heaven in ways that break every imagined view I ever had about it. There are so many beautifully written scenes, but what really tugged at my heart were the reunions with loved ones who had gone on ahead. Here is an excerpt to give you a taste of the emotion and flavor of Alcorn’s Heaven:
Finney scanned the crowd, seeing the smiling faces of old friends and teachers and customers and an old war buddy. And there were Garland and Emma, and Daniel and Laura. He had known them as elderly, but now they were so strong and well, so much more alive than the most vibrant young athlete or actress in the other world. And there were his old friends Jerry and Greg and Leona and so many others who invested in his life, then gone home before him.
But now, he searched for one face only, and much as he wanted to renew his acquaintances with all the others, he would not allow himself to talk to anyone until finding that face. They all seemed to know this, standing back and beaming as he scanned them. There, finally, at the far end, grinning ear to ear just like her father, was the one he sought. She had deliberately held back rushing to him, so she could treasure the intensity of his search in the moment of his recognition.
“Jenny!” Finney shouted her name and by the time the great echo reverberated she landed in his arms, arms that had ached to hold her for 10 long years.
“Daddy! I’ve been waiting for you.”
“Oh, Jenny, my Jenny”
Tender scenes of greeting loved ones that went ahead. Other scenes, daily, learning new things with fresh joy, every day. Viewing past histories, even ‘future histories’, described in ways that makes sense of that statement.
In his author imagination, Alcorn worked hard to keep the story true to God’s Words. The Bible is rich with beautiful and detailed descriptions of heaven. The “city of the living God,” will be a spectacular place according to God’s perfect design. And, as one writer put it, the heavenly Jerusalem will be “a place of unimagined blessing.”
Unimagined blessings. I believe that is true. We joke about wanting to go to Heaven, but not just now, yet here is reassurance, and in that promise, we find our peace, knowing there is a place for us, prepared just for us, by our Lord and Savior. Amen.
Different Perspectives on Humor:
A day without laughter is a day wasted. — Charlie Chaplin
Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he isn’t. A sense of humor was provided to console him for what he is. — Horace Walpole
Like a welcome summer rain, humor may suddenly cleanse and cool the earth, the air and you. — Langston Hughes
If you could choose one characteristic that would get you through life, choose a sense of humor. — Jennifer Jones
Morning Prayer:
So far today, God, I’ve done alright. I haven’t gossiped, lost my temper, been greedy or grumpy. I haven’t been nasty or selfish, or even overindulgent. I’m very thankful for all of that but in a few minutes, God, I’m going to be fully awake and I’ll finish my coffee. Then, I’m probably going to need a lot more help. Instill in me, Lord, a grateful heart, and, please Lord, do one more miracle for me. Help me to be more like you. I love you, Lord. Amen.
