Category: Heaven

Dying Well

I became an orphan in middle age while most of my friends still had two healthy, thriving parents. My mom lived thirteen years after my dad and when she died, I had a sense of being untethered and adrift despite having a husband and kids of my own. I felt too young to be assuming the position of the “older generation” responsible for maintaining family connections, history, and traditions.

Memories from the end of my mom’s life have resurfaced reading Jennifer Rothschild’s words, “Your age may be twenty seven, seventy seven, or somewhere in between…Regardless of how long you’ve lived, you do not know when you will exhale your last breath here. So why not live ready to die? Why not be a woman who blesses people and worships God every day you live? Why not live as a forgiver? Why not live fully committed, abandoned to Christ in light of Heaven’s promise?”1

My mom exemplified what Rothschild encourages here; she continued to bless others with her love and gratitude until she breathed her last. Never was there a trace of self-pity or bitterness. Peace, love, and warmth were the defining characteristics of her final months of life.

Sitting with my mom in that season created many opportunities to observe God’s blessings in the midst of her suffering with pancreatic cancer. Despite battling pain and discomfort, my mom continued to flash a smile and offer a word of thanks to every person who entered her room. Numerous caregivers commented about sensing a different spirit in her. Some recognized it was the Holy Spirit; all felt drawn in by the atmosphere He created.

As her strength failed, my mom didn’t have the energy for much conversation, so I was inspired to read aloud to her just as she’d done for me through much of my childhood. Our daily reading sessions included favorites like C.S. Lewis’ The Last Battle and Corrie Ten Boom’s The Hiding Place. During one of her last lucid days, I sat by her bedside reading Amazing Faith, the biography of Bill Bright, the dynamic Christian leader who founded an international disciple-making ministry. At one point, I looked up to find tears streaming down her face. Surprised and confused, I asked, “Mom, why are you crying?” With a tissue clenched in her fist, she gestured toward the book and said, “That story reminds me of God’s faithfulness. He’s just so good!” Within seconds, I was brushing away tears too. It struck me that in spite of her broken body and failing health, my mom recognized God’s faithfulness. She saw this not just in the book we were reading, but in her life as well.

When she went on hospice care, my mom asked me to write her favorite verse on the whiteboard in her room, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18, NIV) These verses had sustained her through the death of my dad and given her hope in the midst of deep grief and loneliness that persisted for the rest of her life.

I had the extraordinary privilege of sitting beside my mom as she breathed her last. As painful and emotional as it was, the veil between Heaven and Earth seemed thinner during that tender time. I had a surreal sense of feeling truly alive, knowing I was partaking in a sacred moment bathed in unspeakable joy and indescribable peace. My mom’s grave marker now has the Second Corinthians passage inscribed on it as a reminder that she trusted in what is eternal instead of clinging to what was temporary. It’s a testament of a woman who lived faithfully and died well.

Jennifer Rothschild admonishes, “My friend, don’t shy away from talking about death. Don’t avoid those who are dying because you feel awkward. Death feels shattering, emptying, and totally counterintuitive, but death is defeated…Death is the comma that transitions us from the prologue to the forever stories of our lives. Death allows you to step fully into your glorious unending finally trading faith for sight…earth is short, and Heaven is long. May we live well and die well all for the glory of God.”2

Praise God for this amazing truth made possible through the life, death, and resurrection of His son, Jesus! What a gift it is to know Heaven awaits all who humbly and gratefully accept His sacrifice on their behalf.

Post inspired by Jennifer Rothschild’s Heaven.  Order your copy using this link.

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  1. Jennifer Rothschild, Heaven: When Faith Becomes Sight, Lifeway 2025, 203.
  2. 2. ibid, 204

Until We Meet Again

Kristi and I met at church youth group in junior high, but our friendship blossomed in freshman English class the following year. I smile picturing her as an eager 9th grader wearing on-trend 80’s outfits: neon mini-skirts, layered tank tops, mesh gloves, and  jaunty hats or berets. I’ll never forget cheering her on a few summers later as she performed aerobics routines with a crew from her exercise studio at our hometown July 4th parade. But Kristi was more than just a trendy teen—she had a sharp intellect, an incredible work ethic, and boundless energy. Standing at 5’2’’ with wispy blonde hair, deep blue eyes, and a sweet smile, people sometimes underestimated how fierce she really was.

Our lifelong friendship solidified the summer we graduated from high school as both of us chose to work at Christian camps; she headed to Redwood Camp in the Santa Cruz mountains while I served at Houseboats on the Sacramento Delta. Leaving camp at the end of the summer, I was exuberant about my faith in Jesus. But returning to life and friends at home had been challenging. Many people thought I’d gone a little overboard on my faith.

The one exception to this was Kristi. Re-connecting after our summer away, we discovered we’d both had life-changing experiences that would forever alter the courses of our lives. What an encouragement it was to discover I had a like-minded friend whose spiritual eyes had also been opened (Ephesians 1:18). A deeper bond grew between us from that day forward. Our friendship wasn’t just based on fun times and shared memories, but on a passionate love for Jesus and a desire to follow Him faithfully.

Kristi and I experienced many milestone moments over the years, including studying abroad together in college and being bridesmaids in each other’s weddings. After getting married and starting careers, we didn’t have many opportunities to spend time together. Eventually Kristi was living in a different state and homeschooling four kids, so we only saw each other when she came into town to visit her parents. We’d sit in my backyard watching our kids play and it was as if no time had passed. The depth of our friendship endured despite the months and miles that separated us.

Calls and texts became more frequent a few years later when Kristi was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was in her early 40’s and had always been healthy, so we hoped and prayed for a full recovery. An aggressive treatment plan seemed to be working, until it wasn’t. A short remission came to an abrupt end with news that the cancer had returned with force and was spreading.

As Kristi’s health declined, I longed to see her face-to-face and when the timing was right, I booked a flight to Austin. Traveling alone, I had time to prepare myself emotionally and spiritually, asking the Lord to bless and encourage Kristi and her family  through me. I was anxious about seeing my energetic friend so sick and grateful for friends and family at home supporting me with prayer.

As I walked in the front door of her house, Kristi greeted me with delight. She was using a walker for support and wearing a scarf to cover  her bald head, but her broad smile and cheerful spirit remained intact. Despite her frail body, she was as fierce as ever. In fact, I was amazed at the variety of activities we did over the course of the weekend. Her family was determined to give me a full “Lone Star State Experience” when they found out I’d never been there before. So, in spite of going to give them support, I got a big dose of Texas hospitality in return.

On my final day, I had a rare quiet moment alone with Kristi and asked if I could read some of Psalm 34 to her– the verses seemed to provide the words of encouragement I lacked:

“I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing…The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:1-10, 17-18, NIV)

Later, before leaving for the airport, I paused with Kristi and her husband to lay hands on them and pray. I said goodbye feeling at peace, so grateful for the time we’d spent together and not convinced it was the last time I’d see Kristi in this life. It seemed like she still had a lot of fight left in her and the family refused to give up hope.

But as school let out in June, I received word that Kristi’s cancer was spreading and her doctors had run out of options. With this news, a sense of urgency prompted me to stop avoiding one last thing I needed to do. Writing a final letter to Kristi felt daunting but essential given the depth and duration of our friendship. With the Holy Spirit guiding me, my fingers tapped at the keyboard pouring out specific ways Kristi had impacted and encouraged me over the years. Knowing time was short, I wanted to mail it as soon as possible.

Kristi’s husband read the letter to her on June 28th. Just four days later I received word that my sweet friend breathed her last. She was freed from her broken body and finally at home in Heaven. Even though I knew it was coming, I was too stunned to cry. Grief simmered in the back of my mind, but the tears just wouldn’t come.

A week after receiving this news, I had a dream about Kristi. We were having a conversation and sharing some final moments together. I don’t remember the words, but there was a feeling of warmth and peace between us. She was smiling, confident, and reassuring. Moments later I awoke in the dark and realized I wasn’t just crying in my dream, but in reality. As I sat up to wipe away the tears, I felt the relief of emotional release and so comforted thinking of my friend’s salvation through Christ. Seeing her in that dream provided a sense of closure I hadn’t realized I needed.

The tenacious faith Kristi and her family showed in her last 15 months impacted countless people. Their unwavering trust in Jesus pointed everyone around them to God’s saving grace and ultimate hope in Christ. The Lord used their heartbreaking circumstances to bring about much good in their lives and many others.

In the New Testament, Paul describes how our mortal bodies will one day be made new: “When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:54-57, NIV)

I walk in confidence knowing that I will spend eternity with my spunky friend. She’ll be made new and her cancer-ravaged body will be redeemed. “For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” (Romans 8:24-25, NIV) So, I take comfort in words of wisdom from C.S. Lewis: Christians never have to say “Goodbye,” only, “Until we meet again.”1

2013
1988

Post inspired by Jennifer Rothschild’s Heaven. Order your copy using this link.

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  1. Sheldon Vanauken, A Severe Mercy, Harper and Row, 1977.

You Will be With Me in Paradise

Jennifer Rothschild’s Heaven Bible study walks participants through many Scriptures in the Old and New Testaments that give us insights about Heaven. It feels irresponsible and redundant for me to summarize such complex theology and nuanced perspectives in brief blog posts. However, as I’ve worked through her study, personal experiences related to the end of life and Heaven have come to mind. So, instead of unpacking the workbook sessions, I’ll share a few stories that I hope will bring hope and encouragement to you. First up is a reflection on a journey I took with an unlikely companion as her life was coming to a close.

A few times a year I used to walk across the street to my elderly neighbor’s faded blue house. With my young sons in tow, we’d bring flowers from our yard or treats from our kitchen to brighten her day. She didn’t drive and rarely left the house. The first few times we knocked on her door, she was suspicious and stone-faced. She stood at the threshold to shield us from the mess inside as we tried making small talk over the droning of her TV. But behind a tangle of gray hair and a haze of cigarette smoke we were surprised to discover a wry sense of humor and a trove of fascinating stories. With each visit, the door opened wider until one day, she invited us inside.

Over the years Maxine shared fragments of her life story.  Many of the memories were sad, but she recollected them with surprising detachment. In time I pieced together a history that helped me understand her hardened exterior. A bitter divorce from a cheating husband left Maxine feeling rejected and alone. When her younger sister with four small kids was diagnosed with terminal cancer, Maxine moved in to care for her. After the loss of her sister, she stayed to help with the kids and eventually found temporary comfort in the arms of her grieving brother in law. A short-lived romance ended with guilt, shame, and estrangement from the nieces and nephews she’d nurtured through the death of their mom.

Our paths crossed later when she retired and moved into the house across the street to care for her aging mother. Bitterness had already grown deep roots in her heart by then and she remained at a cool distance when we’d stop by to visit. When her mom died a few years later, we didn’t hear about it until several months had passed. Knocking on the door to offer belated condolences, a card and flowers, her gruff demeanor revealed protective layers she’d put on after one too many losses. Still, that act of compassion opened the door for a slowly growing friendship in the years that followed.

One afternoon almost a decade later, I heard from a different neighbor that the “old lady in the blue house” had been taken away in an ambulance. While in the hospital, her doctors determined living alone was no longer a viable option, so Maxine made plans to sell her house and move into a board and care home. Her health continued on a steady decline there over the following weeks. One day I arrived to find her in bed staring vacantly toward the television. Josie, the House Director, was on the phone making arrangements for hospice care. I’d had several conversations with Josie during my visits and we’d bonded realizing we shared a common faith and a desire to see Maxine experience God’s love.

Despite my hopes, discussing spiritual things had never been comfortable between Maxine and me. She knew about my faith and had sometimes poked fun at me for visiting her to earn “Brownie Points” in Heaven. I longed for her to accept God’s love before she died but felt awkward and unsure what to say.  Sitting on the edge of her bed, I breathed a silent prayer for courage. “Maxine, do you know why I’ve been helping you so much?”  She raised her eyebrows, tried to speak and sighed in defeat.  My heart pounded as I continued, “I want you to know that God loves you. I believe He put me in your life to help you, just like you cared for your sister and your mom in their last days.”  She frowned, but I kept talking, “You and I have different opinions about God, but I’m going to keep telling you He loves you until you believe it.”  Unable to retort with her usual sarcasm, she remained quiet until her eyelids grew heavy. Hoping to continue the conversation, I left planning to return the next day.

The phone rang while I was making school lunches for my boys the following morning. “Hi, Marybeth? It’s Josie.” Dreading what she’d say next, I squeezed my eyes shut. “I   wanted to let you know that Maxine passed away last night.”

Disappointment and sadness overwhelmed me.  My throat tightened and tears formed in the corners of my eyes before spilling down my cheeks. How could she be gone already?

Josie continued, “I called to tell you about the last conversation I had with Maxine.”  I wiped my nose and took a deep breath as she continued.  “Every day I told her God loved her, but she never seemed to believe me. Last night I took a chance and asked if she wanted to accept the Lord’s love and be with Him forever. I think she must have known the end was near because instead of rolling her eyes she answered ‘yes.’ Maxine prayed with me to receive God’s love and forgiveness through Jesus. She passed away a few hours later.”

The lump in my throat kept me from responding.  As the tears flowed down my cheeks, I stammered, “You don’t know how relieved I am to hear that. Thank you so much for telling me.”  Hanging up, I dried my cheeks with my sleeve and thanked God for the time He’d given me to show my neighbor she was loved.

Looking back, I see Maxine’s life contained a steady stream of hurt and disappointment that had become the mortar for a thick wall of pride.  A powerful combination of rejection and loss had made her feel unlovable and alone. It had been safer for her to withdraw from the world than to risk being abandoned again. Believing she’d made too many mistakes, she assumed even God wouldn’t want her. Ultimately, her crumbling health dismantled the wall of pride, allowing her to accept a love she could enjoy forever.

Weeks later, two of Maxine’s old friends knocked on my door looking for information about her. There hadn’t been a funeral and they wanted to celebrate her life, so they invited another neighbor and me to have lunch and share stories about her. Many of the snippets I’d heard about her life made more sense with context from her friends. They knew her as a wild, worldly woman with a sharp tongue, a flair for fashion, and bad luck in love. Because she’d cut off contact after moving in with her mom, they never saw the broken old woman she became. Nor did they know she died as the cherished daughter of the King, redeemed by the love of One who would never leave her.

Maxine’s story reminds me of the thief on the cross who believed Jesus was the Savior and heard Him say, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43, NIV) Maybe you’re lamenting the hard heart of a friend or family member. Let Maxine’s story remind you never to lose hope. God can pierce even the thickest wall of pride with His love, mercy and grace—even in the final moments of life. Or maybe you’re someone who doesn’t believe God could love or forgive you. Consider these hope-filled words from the Bible and let them lead you to believe and be saved:

 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son…If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness… If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (John 3:16-18, 1 John 1:8-9, Romans 10:9, NIV)

Post inspired by Jennifer Rothschild’s Heaven.  Order your copy using this link.

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Your Father’s House: Heaven

Studying a rail map of Europe, my friends hunched on the lower bunk next to me as rain pelted the windows of the youth hostel. On a break from classes, our plans to explore the picturesque alps of Switzerland, Austria, and Germany had been derailed by a chilly, wet stormfront. After sloshing through Lucerne with soggy feet and seeing only thick clouds instead of snowcapped peaks, we revamped our itinerary seeking sunnier destinations further south.

With a vague knowledge of Italy, we chose two cities that fit our timeframe and Eurail pass parameters. The next afternoon, we stepped off the train into glorious sunshine in Venice. After exploring the canals, bridges, and piazzas for a few days, we moved on to Florence and more warm weather. A thick guidebook supplemented our youthful ignorance, leading us to the highlights of each city, but sunshine, gelato, and pizza had been the main draws for us. With minimal knowledge we couldn’t fully appreciate the history, art, and culture of those rich and multi-faceted cities.

Most of us have impressions of places we’ve never been that come from reputations or stereotypes. We might attach them to certain foods, weather, events, or people. But as we learn more about the place or travel there firsthand, our preconceived notions shift, and our one-dimensional knowledge begins to expand and deepen. Not long ago I had the chance to return to Florence and revisit a few of the highlights I’d seen as a college student. With more time to research and prepare, my understanding of the city and appreciation for its beauty and history only grew. I still enjoyed the sunshine and gelato, but also so much more beyond that.

For many of us, our knowledge about Heaven is like this; it’s filled with assumptions that have been influenced by our upbringing, our faith background, books, music, and movies. We typically view it as “a better place” where people go when they die. Without much concrete knowledge, we may envision Heaven as a buffet of all of our favorite things served up according to our whims and desires: a perpetual vacation on a tropical beach, unending happiness surrounded by favorite people and pets, or a never ending series of adventures and activities in beautiful locations. Most of us focus on what the surroundings will be like, who will be there, and what we’ll do.

In John’s gospel, Jesus describes Heaven as His Father’s house. He says to His disciples, “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:2-3, NIV)

Spending eternity with the Lord isn’t always at the forefront of our minds, though is it? He’s mainly the gatekeeper who lets people in or bars entry to Heaven. A popular view is that all “good” people go there, though the measurement for “good” is vague. Sometimes we’re even suspicious of God for being the one to make this judgement. Considering what happens after we die feels uncomfortable and frightening, so many of us choose not to delve into those thoughts, find answers to our questions, or clarify our assumptions.

If any of this resonates and you’d like  a more biblical understanding of Heaven, I hope you’ll join me as I work my way through Jennifer Rothschilds’ Bible study: Heaven: When Faith Becomes Sight. I’ve read a variety of materials about Heaven over the years but have never found an interactive resource like this that pulls so much information together. With Scripture as her source material, Rothschild helps participants to understand what’s true about Heaven and how we can prepare for it now. She opens the study with a few key concepts that are helpful to understand. For example, Rothschild explains that when used in Scripture, the word Heaven has one of three meanings:

  1. The sky where birds fly; the air within the earth’s atmosphere.
  2. The expanse of the universe where the sun, moon and stars reside.
  3. The dwelling place of God.

Rothschild says, “don’t assume every time you read the word Heaven in the Bible, it is referring to our eternal home with God.”1

Rothschild also explains, “even though we think of Heaven as ultimately one place, we need to see how the Scripture talks about it in three different time periods.”2 She distinguishes between them as follows:

  • Period 1: How the Bible speaks of Heaven from the time of creation in Genesis to the crucifixion of Christ in the gospels.
  • Period 2: How the Bible speaks about Heaven from the resurrection of Christ in the gospels until His return (mostly described in Revelation but also mentioned in other parts of the New Testament.)
  • Period 3: How Scripture describes Heaven from the return of Christ going forward into eternity.

According to this chronology, we are currently in the middle period after Christ’s resurrection but before His return.

As my understanding of Heaven has expanded, I’ve begun to equate it with nearness to God. It is where the Lord’s kingdom functions as He originally intended without the hindrance of sin. When Jesus taught His followers to pray, “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is with heaven,” He gave words to our yearning for wholeness and peace and our longing for a world without sin, brokenness, and evil. (Matthew 6:10, NIV).

We’re going to learn that Heaven is much more than an unending vacation in paradise. At the end of time it is where God dwells with His people and “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4b, NIV)

Join me as we consider our preconceived notions about Heaven and explore God’s Word together.  Let’s stop avoiding what we don’t understand, release our vague hopes, and find out what awaits us when faith becomes sight.

Order your copy of Jennifer Rothschild’s Heaven using this link.

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  1. Jennifer Rothschild, Heaven: When Faith Becomes Sight, Lifeway Press, 2025, 23.
  2. ibid, 24

On Earth as It Is in Heaven

 The front cover of Jen Wilkin’s book Revelation: Eternal King, Everlasting Kingdom includes a 17th century British tapestry that depicts the tree of life bearing abundant fruit and sheltering a variety of animals.  This multi-faceted piece of art (pictured above) attempts to capture John’s vision of the new Jerusalem described in Revelation 22. A tapestry is a fitting choice for the book’s cover given that the concluding chapters of Revelation tie together so many threads woven throughout Scripture. In this post we’ll cover Revelation 21:9-22:21.

Jen Wilkin explains, “With the introduction of the new Jerusalem in the seventh sight, we are invited into an extended view of all that is made new. Wars and rumors of wars are behind us. Grief and sorrow are wiped away. Sin is no longer in our midst. Satan can no longer deceive, seduce, nor persecute. And the last enemy, death, is under the feet of the One seated on the throne. The serpent’s head is crushed. The seed of the woman has triumphed.” (153)

Picking up where we left off in my last post “Seven Last Sights”, Revelation 21:9 continues with a vision of “the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, arrayed with God’s glory. Her radiance was like a precious jewel, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.” (21:10b-11, CSB) John includes a detailed description full of symbolic numbers. Twelve angels stand at twelve gates, each inscribed with the name of one of the twelve sons of Israel. Three gates face in four directions—north, south, east, and west. The city wall rests on twelve foundations named for the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Here we see a beautiful merging of the Old and New Testament that encompasses the complete scope of the created world (symbolized by the number 4) and the entirety of the people of God (symbolized by the number 12).

The vision continues with a description of the dimensions of the city—a perfect square of 12,000 stadia (1380 miles) and a wall of 144 cubits (216 feet). Jen Wilkin explains that this expanse would’ve encompassed the limits of the known world for the original readers of Revelation—indicating that the new Jerusalem would be like a vast version of the Holy of Holies covering the entire earth. In an ironic twist, precious metals and jewels that often were the object of idolatry for earth dwellers are common building materials in the city of God. (Week 10 video)

John notes that the new Jerusalem does not have a temple “because the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.” (21:22b) The time for making sacrifices of atonement has passed, so the need for a temple is unnecessary. Also missing in the new Jerusalem are the sun and moon “because the glory of God illuminates it, and its lamp is the Lamb.” (21:23b)  This echoes John’s writings on light in other parts of Scripture as well: “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5b NIV) and “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” (John 1:4, NIV)

With the enemy defeated and final judgement complete, there is no threat of evil entering the holy city. The gates of the new Jerusalem remain eternally open because “Nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those written in the Lamb’s book of life.” (21:27)  God’s beloved people remain safe and secure for eternity. His kingdom has come and His will has been done on earth, just as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10)

John’s vision continues in Revelation 22, where we discover that the new Jerusalem is a garden city. The river of life flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the city’s main street. “The tree of life was on each side of the river, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations, and there will no longer be any curse.” (22:3) This echoes a vision described in Ezekiel: “Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.” (Ezekiel 47:12, NIV)

With Eden restored, God’s people will once again walk in close fellowship with Him in the garden. This is a stunning contrast to the Lord’s explanation when Moses asks to see Him face to face: “He said, ‘you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live…When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.” (Exodus 33:20,22-23, NIV) In the new garden city with perfected bodies “his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.” (22:3b-4)

This portion of John’s vision ends with a reiteration: “Night will be no more; people will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will give them light, and they will right forever and ever.” (22:5) Many threads from Scripture tie together here– most notably, Jesus’ words about Himself, also recorded by John: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12, NIV)

Revelation 22:6-21 brings John’s vision to a close with some final words—including five reminders that the time for Jesus’ return is near. John includes direct quotes from Christ: “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” (22:7) Throughout our study of Revelation, I’ve been struck by the notion of “keeping” God’s words in the forefront of my mind. John’s vision makes it clear that God wins in the end and honors those who remain steadfast and true to Him. I keep thinking about the push for instant gratification and indulgence that our culture drives toward with increasing momentum. Is this the enemy’s way of lulling people into complacency? Is he conditioning us to avoid doing what is hard or waiting for what is best and right? As people opt for temporary satisfaction and pleasure, are they forfeiting eternal peace and joy like those who take the mark of the beast? It’s a battle to remain faithful to God and to walk in a manner worthy of our calling, but it’s one well worth fighting.

As the chapter progresses John continues recording Jesus’ words, “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates.” (22:14) Those wearing garments cleansed in the blood of Christ freely enter God’s eternal dwelling and eat from the tree of life. This is an incredible full circle moment redeeming the tragedy of the first garden:

“The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. And the Lord God said, ‘The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.’ So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.” (Genesis 3:21-24, NIV)

To protect them from living eternally in a fallen state, the Lord banishes Adam and Eve from Eden and kills animals to provide garments for them. This is the first time blood will be spilled to cover sin. Now, in Revelation, He clothes His people in garments covered in His blood; His death atones for their sins, the curse has been removed, and they freely eat from the tree of life in God’s eternal city.

In this passage Jesus also describes Himself as “the Root and descendant of David” weaving together the thread of a promise made to King David back in 2 Samuel: “The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: ‘When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom…Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’” (2 Samuel 7:11b, 12, 16, NIV)

John ends his book with great anticipation “Both the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ Let anyone who hears, say, ‘Come!’ Let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who desires take the water of life freely.” (22:17) Dwelling within all believers, the Spirit joyfully awaits Christ’s return. Likewise, His bride, the Church (which includes all followers of Jesus), looks for His return with great expectancy. Yet again, we’re reminded of earlier passages in Scripture that this final statement ties together. Consider this prophecy in Isaiah: “Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs… But only the redeemed will walk there, and those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.” (Isaiah 35:6b,7a, 9b, 10, NIV)

Jesus’ own words from John’s gospel also speak of living water: “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14, NIV)

So many people avoid delving into Revelation. But, as Jen Wilkin reminds us throughout our study, it’s primarily a recapitulation of earlier Scriptures. For years I’ve poured time into studying many books of the Bible but have avoided this final one. While Revelation does have some unsettling content that provides important warnings, it is also a book filled with hope and encouragement for all who call on the name of Jesus. Despite the length of my post, I’ve barely touched on all the threads that weave together to make this beautiful tapestry of God’s Word.

“Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep what is written in it, because the time is near…Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!” (1:3 & 22:20b)

  • Tapestry image from the Metropolitan Museum of Art (public domain). Click here to read the history.
  • Jen Wilkin, Revelation: Eternal King, Everlasting Kingdom, Lifeway Press, 2024.
  • All Scripture quoted from the Christian Standard Bible (CSB), unless noted otherwise.

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Seated in Heavenly Places

A couple of years ago my son brought a friend home from college to spend Thanksgiving with us. During that week he participated in the rhythms of our family—eating meals with us, sleeping on our couch, helping us prepare for Thanksgiving, and getting to know our extended family around the table. We welcomed his presence, but he was a temporary member of our household for a short season. Because he didn’t share our last name, he didn’t have keys to our house or his own bed. Nor were we paying for his college tuition or planning to give him an inheritance one day. As much as we enjoyed having him, he will never have all the privileges our sons have. 

Being part of a family gives us a sense of belonging and identity along with certain benefits. It gives us legal rights, security, and protection in the earthly realm. But as we read Ephesians, we discover that God gives those with faith in Christ something even better and more lasting: adoption into His eternal household (Ephesians 1:5, 2:19). Included with this adoption is a rich spiritual inheritance and a new position: “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:4-6, NIV- italics added)

If you’ve accepted Jesus, then you’re an adopted child of God; you’ve been brought from death to life and have received salvation by God’s grace. And if that’s not amazing enough, you are also seated with Christ in heavenly realms. We can be physically present on earth but simultaneously engaging the spiritual world.1 When Paul prays that the eyes of our hearts will be opened in Ephesians 1:18, he’s awakening us to the reality of the spiritual world that exists all around us all the time. Let’s explore a few highlights of the incredible privilege of being seated with Christ:

-Christ’s position in the heavenly realms shows His completed work.1 He is seated and at rest after fulfilling all of the requirements He came to earth to accomplish: Becoming a man and identifying with our humanity; shedding blood and dying on the cross to atone for our sins; overcoming death to reveal His ultimate power and authority. After making these sacrifices, the Father “seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” (Ephesians 1:20b-21, ESV). His seated position assures us He has finished the work required for our salvation.

-Being seated at the right hand of the Father signifies Christ’s place of highest honor and spiritual authority. “And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” (Ephesians 2:22-23 NIV) Being seated with Him is “much like being seated at the VIP table of a Presidential luncheon. We have been given the royal privilege of being enthroned with the Son and will one day partake of His glory.”2

-Being seated with Christ in heavenly places means we have access to spiritual privileges and blessings such as redemption, spiritual insight, and forgiveness. We also have spiritual authority and power to defeat forces of evil.* Paul expands on this a few chapters later in Ephesians: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:10-12, NIV)

-God raised us up “in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” Our honored position seated with Christ displays God’s rich grace and deep kindness. Letting this spiritual truth sink in should change the way we see ourselves and how we engage the world around us. Our position in God’s family is secure, but we did nothing to earn it. It is only through the love, grace, and kindness of God that we humbly receive all the rights and privileges He bestows on His children.

Consider the incredible truth contained in these points and how you might respond in prayer. Do you need your spiritual eyes to be opened more so that you can see God at work in the spiritual realm? Is it time to marvel at the incredible sacrifices Christ made on your behalf and to praise Him for His completed work? Perhaps now is the time to be in awe of His spiritual authority and to praise Him for sharing it with you. Maybe you’ll want to ask the Father to help you understand His spiritual blessings  and power so you can access them more. Or perhaps you simply want to thank God for His kindness—for including you in His family and lavishing you with all the rights and privileges of a beloved child.

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Inspired by Ephesians: A Study of Faith and Practice by Jackie Hill Perry, Jasmine Holmes and Melissa Kruger, Lifeway Press, 2024.

1. Patrick Oben, “Seated in Heavenly Places  In Christ”

2. “What Does It Mean to be Seated in Heavenly Places? (Ephesians 2:6)” 

*Learn more about your spiritual authority in Christ in my blog “Claiming Your Spiritual Authority: The Armor of God Part 1”

Heaven’s View of Christmas

Each December we read the beloved story of Christmas from the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. We remember Mary and Joseph, shepherds and angels, wise men and the star, and, of course, baby Jesus. We find comfort and hope in the familiar plot, people, and places. But this year, I heard a sermon with a new perspective on the Christmas story that’s straight from Scripture, but often overlooked. It’s a narrative that steps back to give us a broader view of Christ’s birth from the perspective of heaven.

The apostle John, known as “the disciple Jesus loved” wrote the book of Revelation while in exile at the end of his life. He wrote about visions and prophecies revealed to him by God to give hope and encouragement to persecuted believers around the world. In his vision from chapter 12, John describes the birth of Christ. One aspect of this incredible event we rarely consider is the cosmic conflict that it caused:

“A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who ‘will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.’ And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne… Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.” (Revelation 12:1-9, NIV)

Pastor Rick Atchley contends that the woman in John’s vision represents both Israel and Jesus’ mother, Mary, who birthed the Messiah as the Savior for all of humankind. He believes that the Revelation passage describes Christ’s birth and the devil’s attempt to intervene and prevent Him from fulfilling the purposes for which He was born. War breaks out between God and Satan and the enemy ultimately is cast out of heaven and hurled to earth with his minions. 

Christ’s birth from heaven’s perspective shows us that there is a huge story playing out. There is a dark lord fighting against a promised King. But the outcome of their conflict has already been determined:

“Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: ‘Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short’…  Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.” (Revelation 12:10-12, 17, NIV)

Bible scholars have differing opinions on the time frames and specifics for the events described in the passage above. Regardless, the vision helps us to understand why bad things happen to us even though Jesus was victorious. It’s because we still contend with an unseen reality: the devil who roams the earth. He is the one behind all the hurt, pain, and evil in this world. The dragon knows Jesus was born to rule the earth and he knows God’s kingdom is invincible, but he will continue to wage war and spread misery on the earth until Jesus returns.

Right now, there’s an ongoing battle all around us in the spiritual realm: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12, NIV) All people on earth in every generation get to decide which side of the battle they want to be on, but only one of the opponents will stand the test of time: “Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever!” (Revelation 1:5 & 6, NIV)

Celebrating Christmas reminds us the enemy’s reign has an expiration date. Regardless of which interpretation of Revelation we align with, we can be encouraged by taking a bigger view of Jesus when we face earthly problems and struggles. We can remind ourselves that the King of Kings who conquered death will one day rule all nations and make all things right. We can rejoice that our true hope isn’t in human empires or worldly comforts but in the absolute sovereignty of Christ. 

Before Pastor Atchley’s sermon begins, a short video depicts a classic nativity scene with Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. As the narrator speaks, the camera pulls back to reveal angels singing above the manger and then further still to reveal stars, constellations, a throne and a dragon. The narrator describes each scene saying: “There’s the story we know: The King of Kings born in a lowly manger. But the story we know is part of a bigger story. A story that unfolds not just in a stable, but on the stage of history played out among the stars and the heavenly hosts. It’s a story of cosmic conflict; of good and evil locked in battle; of a victorious king enthroned forever. The story we know reaches far beyond the little town of Bethlehem into every corner of the cosmos.”1

May this Christmas leave you in awe that the King of Kings who existed before time began came to earth to rescue and redeem us and give us everlasting hope. Let “King of Kings” by Hillsong Worship give you a moment to stop and praise God for this incredible truth. Click here to listen.

1. “A Cosmic King” Series: Cosmic Christmas, Rick Atchely, The Hills Church. Click here to watch the full sermon. 

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The GOAT Week 13: True Christianity

We’re closing in on our final two posts for the Greatest Sermon of All Time. This week we’ll explore Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 7:13-23 that uses three contrasting pairs to illustrate signs of true Christianity.

The Wide and Narrow Roads

Jesus starts by comparing two paths in life. He says: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”  (Matthew 7:13-14, NIV)

Using the analogy of two roads for our lives, Jesus describes the first as the broad road of destruction. This route is easy to find because we’re born on it and will die on it unless we choose to get off. The wide road is like an eight-lane freeway that’s packed with drivers who don’t know or want a different route. This road is deceptive; it seems and feels right because everyone is moving in the same direction, but it’s leading to a terrible destination. The book of Proverbs describes it this way: “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” (Proverbs 14:12, NIV).

Conversely, the narrow road requires difficult choices to deny ourselves and surrender our will to God. This road is harder but better because it leads to life. Here’s a harsh truth that is also good news: all roads lead to hell except the one that goes through Jesus. He says this clearly in John 10:9: “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.” He reiterates it in John 14:6: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Trusting Jesus as Savior and Lord of our lives means daily choosing to walk through the narrow gate. This path is open to anyone who decides to follow Him. It leads to an abundant, fulfilling life that’s unlike anything we can find on the wide road. Are you walking the narrow road?

True and False Prophets

In the next section, Jesus continues to address the essence of true Christianity:

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” (Matthew 7:15-20, NIV)

Using the analogy of fruit growing on vines or trees, Jesus illustrates that true Christianity produces a fruitful life. If we don’t see any evidence of Jesus in someone’s life, it may be that He’s not there. Conversely, true disciples display specific attributes: “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23, NLT)

When we consider the teachers we listen to, it’s important to evaluate the content of their messages and the fruit of their lives, not just the allure of attractive personalities or pretty words. Do the teachers you follow preach Jesus as the only way? Do they preach the Bible without mixing it with other philosophies? Are their lives consistent with the teachings of the Bible? Do they live full of grace and truth? Are the sermons, podcasts, books, and social media feeds you follow biblically sound?

Scripture provides several descriptions of false teachers, including this one written by Paul to encourage Timothy, a young pastor he was mentoring: “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” (2 Tim 4:2-4, NIV) 

The teachers we follow shape our thoughts about God and His Word. They should be challenging us and sharpening our faith, not just telling us what feels good or flows with current trends in our culture. It’s vital that we’re reading the Bible on our own and not just letting teachers we like interpret it for us. How are the people you follow influencing your faith?

True and False Disciples

In His next comparison, Jesus addresses false disciples:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:21-23, NIV)

In this section, Jesus emphasizes that true Christianity is based on the gospel, not on good works. The will of the Father is that all people would know Him (John 3:16-17). There’s a myth some people believe that we’ll stand at the gates of heaven and present Jesus with a list of our good works in hopes of gaining entry. This is not rooted in truth. False disciples believe good works earn God’s favor. True disciples know they are accepted by God only through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Regardless of our “good” or “bad” behavior, the Bible tells us: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:23-24 NIV) Are you trying to “do” for God to earn His favor, or do you believe the gospel and rest in His grace?

Jesus’ words in these passages are direct and may feel jarring, but they are rooted in love. He raises the bar on how we’re called to live, but He walks beside us  and helps us every step of the way.

Celebrate the greatest preacher of all time by listening to “My Jesus” by Anne Wilson. Click here to watch her music video.

This post is based on Tyler Scott’s sermon “The GOAT Part 12” at CPC Danville. Click here to watch.

Letting Go

Pulling up to the house, tears welled up in my eyes at the first glimpse of the “For Sale” sign planted in the front lawn. It was yet another catalyst for the grief I’ve been experiencing since losing my mom to cancer six months ago. After sorting the contents of my parents’ home of 45 years, it was time to let it go. Imagining life without it made me feel adrift and untethered. 

I remember when we toured the model homes and chose the lot where our house would be built. I was six years old and the sting of moving was temporarily soothed by the prospect of living in a two-story house in a brand-new neighborhood. However, my enthusiasm waned when construction wasn’t finished by the time school started. Instead of getting acclimated to our new home, we spent six weeks making the 45- minute commute with our dad to our new schools. Every morning a lump would form in my throat and I’d fight back tears when it was time to leave for school. I dreaded being away from the comfort and security of my mom’s presence. My tearful departures didn’t let up until one day when she leaned down to hug me and said, “Even though I can’t be there with you, Jesus can. Just remember that He’s there holding your hand, no matter what.” Her words were such a comfort to me that my tears stopped flowing. Every day after that I’d plead, “Tell me again, mom. Tell me about Jesus holding my hand.” The angst I’d felt at the start of each day soon faded.

Later that fall, we finally moved into our new home. I loved riding my bike to explore the paths that wound through the greenbelt behind our house. Inside, my brothers and I created a “fort” in a small attic space, piecing together carpet remnants on the floor and hanging posters in the rafters. We signed our names on a beam above the small doorway to make it an official “clubhouse.” In later years, my boys enjoyed exploring the fort and adding their names to the others above the doorway, which remain there to this day.

I remember summer afternoons when the whole family would be in the pool. I spent hours attempting to master back flips off the springy diving board. In the evenings we loved watching brilliant sunsets as orange and pink clouds slowly faded to black. Hot summer nights often called for walks in the neighborhood before sitting on the deck to talk and laugh while eating cold watermelon. Later, when we had kids of our own, the backyard was the scene of many memorable celebrations. I still picture my boys and their cousins frolicking in rafts in the pool, swatting piñatas at family birthday parties, and eating homemade ice cream on July Fourth.

The kitchen was the center of activity in our home. For years I did my homework sitting at the large oval table that faced the backyard. I loved to perch my elbows on the counter and chat with my mom as she made dinner. The ritual of meals around our kitchen table was a source of comfort and security for all of us. Despite the large size of our family, eating together nightly was typical. And many times, there would be extra people in our midst—interns from church, visiting relatives, or neighborhood friends. The number of people we could wedge around the table seemed limitless. 

Once my siblings and I grew up and had families of our own, we continued to gather around the table for special occasions. When our kids were little, my mom would fill the kitchen with miniature tables and chairs to accommodate her beloved grandchildren. She didn’t mind how cramped the space became with the extra bodies because she loved having all of us together.

The formal living room was the one place in the house that always stayed tidy. The only time it was messy was on Christmas, which we celebrated there every year from the time I was in first grade until my own children were in high school. I can still picture piles of boxes, gifts, and ribbons scattered around the room.  I also remember watching with envy as my older siblings took prom pictures there with their dates; I couldn’t wait for it to be my turn. A few years later I posed for photos in the living room on my wedding day.

So many memories swirl in my mind when I envision my family’s home, it’s hard to imagine someone else living there. In the days leading up to selling it, my stomach lurched every time I pictured the “For Sale” sign. Letting go of the house triggered grief that left me feeling fragile and vulnerable. It was the last tangible link to my parents and my childhood. Selling it made sense, but that didn’t make it any easier. On the day we signed papers agreeing to the sale, an entry in Sarah Young’s Jesus Calling brought me just the reassurance I needed:

“THIS IS A TIME IN YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU MUST LEARN TO LET GO: of loved ones, of possessions, of control. In order to let go of something that is precious to you, you need to rest in My Presence, where you are complete. Take time to bask in the Light of My Love. As you relax more and more, your grasping hand gradually opens up, releasing your prized possession into My care.

You can feel secure, even in the midst of cataclysmic changes, through awareness of My continual Presence. The One who never leaves you is the same One who never changes: I am the same yesterday, today, and forever. As you release more and more things into My care, remember that I never let go of your hand. Herein lies your security, which no one and no circumstance can take from you.” (March 24 entry)

The words reminded me that my security isn’t based on anything in the world, not even good things like my parents or our family home. One line especially caught my attention: “Remember that I never let go of your hand.” I thought back to my mom’s reassurance to me when I was a frightened first grader starting at a new school. She told me that Jesus would be there to hold my hand, even when she couldn’t be. And she was right.

My childhood home doesn’t belong to us anymore, and I’m making peace with that because my true refuge and security didn’t rest there anyway. Jesus promised: “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:2-3, NIV) Ironically, one of my mom’s caregivers reminded me of this passage a few days before she passed away.

I’m going to keep putting my hope and trust in the One who provides an eternal home for me: “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.”  (Psalm 62:5-7, NIV)

Followers of Jesus look forward to the day we’ll finally be at home with our heavenly Father. Even now, He’s preparing a place for us. Enjoy Cory Asbury’s song “The Father’s House” as you celebrate this truth: 

Lastly, take a stroll down memory lane and get a taste of my childhood as you listen to “Our House” by the English band “Madness.” It was released when I was in middle school in the 80’s and quickly became a family favorite. I can still picture my parents dancing to it in our kitchen with goofy grins on their faces. 

Sarah Young, Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence, Thomas Nelson, 2004.

Almost Home

My boys just returned to college after a month of being home for the holidays. Our oldest is starting his final semester. It feels like yesterday that he was in high school and we were sitting at the kitchen table discussing where he would go. I remember encouraging him to branch out saying, “College is only a few years–it’s a great time to experience living in a different part of the country.”

He embraced that idea and chose a school 1500 miles from home. Over the last three-and-a-half years he’s experienced a culture that’s quite different from where we live. It’s been a rich time of education for him, both in and out of the classroom. Despite my enthusiasm about his college choice, I still bristle when anyone refers to it as his “home.” While we don’t know where he’ll end up living when he graduates, in my mind, his home will always be under our roof.
 
Most of us have experienced temporary lodgings—living somewhere for a while that isn’t our true home. We learn new things and have different experiences, but we know we’re not there permanently. I think many of us forget that this is also the case with our time here on earth. However, Scripture repeatedly reminds us of this truth. Look at Jesus’ statement in His prayer for all believers: “They do not belong to this world any more than I do.” (John 17:16, NLT) Or consider Peter’s words emphasizing that Christians are “temporary residents and foreigners in the world.” (1 Peter 2:11, NLT)
 
In keeping with this theme, Kelly Minter warns us of becoming enchanted by the things of this world. She says “I’ve been bamboozled by the shiny objects of what money can buy, hoodwinked by the allure of fame, swept up by dynamic personalities that weren’t always authentic.” (page 170) Her words remind me of this passage: “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:15-17, NIV) The world, as it’s referred to in this passage, is “a system of values and goals from which God is excluded.” (Bible Knowledge Commentary) We live in tension with these competing perspectives of worldly wisdom and biblical wisdom every day. It’s why we prioritize studying God’s Word and spending time with others who seek Him. We need to remind one another that this world is not our home. 
 
While it can be difficult to live and think differently as followers of Christ, it is also more fulfilling and rewarding. Kelly Minter highlights this saying: “The longer I follow Jesus, though, the more the temporal pleasures of this earth really do dim in comparison to the joy of His fellowship and the privilege of loving and serving people, pleasures that are eternal. The end of Jacob’s life inspires me to live fully in view of God’s promises, even the ones that might be a way off. Jacob could have made his permanent home in Egypt and identified with its prosperity, but he knew that none of those flash-in-the-pan riches could hold a candle to taking his place as part of God’s royal lineage.” (pages 170-171)
 
Like Jacob and Joseph, we need to maintain our focus on the Lord during our time on earth. God’s sovereignty hasn’t been threatened by tumultuous events at any point in history, including the present. He is the only truly firm foundation for our lives. This is a good reminder as many worldly pleasures, comforts, and distractions have been stripped away by COVID-19. As we look to the Lord to steady us, we can also share His hope with the world that desperately needs it. 
 
In the book of Colossians, Paul admonishes us: “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” I like the directness of the Message version of this passage: “So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective. Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life—even though invisible to spectators—is with Christ in God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you’ll show up, too—the real you, the glorious you.” (Colossians 3:1-4, The Message)

Life right now may be hard for you, but remember this world isn’t our home. Let that truth encourage you today and every day. Set your mind on things above and let God use you to bring hope to those who need a perspective shift too. The trials we’re facing now are a blip in the light of eternity. If you need a reminder of that, enjoy “Almost Home” by MercyMe.

Kelly Minter, Finding God Faithful: A Study on the Life of Joseph, Lifeway Press, 2019.

Eugene Peterson, The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language, NavPress/ Tyndale House, 1993.

John F. Walvoord & Roy B. Zuck, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Victor Books, 1983, page 891.

Image by Ida Damkilde from Pixabay