Vacations

Summer is quickly headed our way.  Outdoors, sunshine, lazy days.  I wrote an article years ago for our church newsletter and I thought I'd share it here as it's about that time of year.  VACATION!

Vacations!!  Time off from work, time off from school, time away from home and routine.  We all look forward to them, plan for them.  My husband and I recently booked a cruise for February of next year (This was true at the time I originally wrote this).  Since that time I have gone over in my head what I am going to bring, what I am going to wear (probably a woman thing), and what excursions we want to do, probably about a hundred times!  Added to the excitement of the trip itself is the fact that I am going to spend the week with my oldest friend whom I have't seen in much too long a time.  I am excited and anticipating a great week away.

As I once again found my thoughts wandering to this upcoming event, I felt the Lord impress upon my heart the thoughts, "Are you anticipating Heaven in the way you are anticipating this trip?  Are you planning for Heaven as you are planning for this trip?"   Wow, that kind of brought me up short.  I never thought about it before, but we are supposed to be doing both those things.  I think we get so caught up in the here and now that we forget that we hae something much more amazingly real and lasting to look forward to.  It's almost as if we forget the reality of Heaven.

What does it mean to anticipate Heaven?  What are we planning to bring to Heaven?  After all, the Bible tells us in Colossians 3:1-2 to "set our sights on the realities of Heaen, where Christ sits at God's right hand in the place of honor and power."  The verse also tells us, "Let Heaven fill your thoughts.  Do not think only about things down here on earth."  I think sometimes we forget that Heaven is a real, tangible place of which we are citizens where we will live for eternity  Philippians 3:20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.   Luke 10:20  But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.”  It's so easy to lose the reality of it while we are down here in the trenches of everyday life.  We are overly tied to life here on earth, forgetting that we are, "foreigners and nomads here on earth."  Like God's people of old, we are to be looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland.  Hebrews 11:13-16 13 All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. 14 Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. 15 If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. 16 But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.  (Shout for joy church!  He has prepared a city for us!!!)

Matthew 6:19-21 19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

Where is your heart?  What are you treasuring?  1 Timothy 6:17 Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.      James 1:17 Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.  While God gives us all things to enjoy, the things on earth are not to be our treasure or our main focus.  Jesus told the rich youn man to "sell all you have and give the money to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come follow me (Mark 10:21).  Are you willing to follow that command?  To give up your earthly focus to follow Jesus in His eternal, heavenly focus?  I guess it depends on where our heart lies.

So how do we prepare for heaven?  What will we be bringing, as it were?  While our entrance into Heaven is assured us through the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross, I do think we can bring gifts to the Lord when we get there. (Ephesians 2:9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.)  Have you loved your brother?  Cared for another?  Matthew 25:34-40 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

Luke 6:35-36  tells us“Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. 36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.  These verses are telling us to be focused on His work here on earth.  Then we will be welcomed and bring Him honor when we get to Heaven.  We must remember though, what we are told in Ephesians 2:10  For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Otherwise, the works become about us and our pride.  Pride has no place in Heaven.  Think about Satan's sin and how he was cast out. 

We are promised wonderful blessings when we get to Heaen.  The crown of life to those who patiently endure testing, to those who remain faithful even when facing death, great rewards for those who love their enemies, an imperishable crown for winning the race, a priceless inheritance, pure and undefiled, glorious bodies like Jesus', a place to live where God removes all our sorrows, where there is no more death or sorry or crying or pain (Revelation 21:14).  No evil, no sin.  A place where our reward and crown will be to stand together with those who blessed us and who we blessed giving glory and honor to and enjoying the Presence of our Lord.  This is the place where all things will be made new, where we will hae eternal, unfiltered fellowship with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.  Now I think that is something to get excited about.  

Lord, it's hard to think of Heavven as a reality sometimes.  I ask you to make this real for us, as real as anything on earth that we can look forward to.  Let it fill our thoughts with anticipation and let fulfilling Your purpose so as to bring You honor when we get there direct our steps.  In Jesus' most precious Name.  Amen.  

Make it a point to think about Heaven every day.