"Heaven is totally overrated. It seems boring. Clouds, listening to people play the harp. It should be somewhere you can’t wait to go, like a luxury hotel. Maybe blue skies and soft music were enough to keep people in line in the 17th century, but Heaven has to step it up a bit. They’re basically getting by because they only have to be better than Hell." – Joel Stein, Columnist for the Los Angeles Times
Does God need a new publicist? If he wants to attract the multitudes to the wonders of heaven, he might need a new ad agency. Modern man is bombarded with messages 24/7: glitzy infomercials, slick ad campaigns, spin doctors perfecting their messages. The creative teams employ vibrant colors and bold graphics to grab our attention and inspire us to act. We buy their products or sign up for their services. How can God inspire us without visual images?
The Bible offers few first hand testimonials to the wonders of heaven. "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him." (1 Corinthians 6:9). The poetry of the psalmists hints at the glory that awaits the faithful. If we Google the word "heaven," we won’t find a polished website detailing the accommodations and amenities. We are left to imagine the untold blessings.
Very little is left to the imagination in our society. Last week we discovered a new TV station amid the 1200 in our cable line-up. Daylong, it offers explanations of "how things are done," revealing the engineering marvels of skyscrapers, the formation of lab-made precious gems, and the culinary mystery of how they get the cream filing in the Hostess Twinkie. As a kid, I was hooked by the rare glimpse Mr. Rogers offered of crayons speeding through the Crayola factory. It was an awesome sight to see the fabrication of something so beloved. But like a magician revealing his secrets, without the mystery something essential is lost.
"We live by faith, not by sight."(2 Corinthians 5:7) Our daily walk with the Lord is built on love and belief and trust. "God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him." (Acts 17:27) The old images of clouds and harps are designed to leave us wanting. Heaven defies a typical description.
There is a song that my family loves to hear. It’s not as eloquent as Psalm 118:24, but SpongeBob Squarepants drives the point home in his song, "The Best Day Ever." Nothing extraordinary occurs in the song: no new job, no lottery winnings, no major life events. Our best day is the day of opportunities that God blesses us with each morning. A great day is special in what it lacks: no worries for the future and no sorrows over the past. It is a day lived fully in the present.
The full promise of heaven is dwelling in the presence of God. There, we will live like God, fully in the eternal present. Living in the moment, we will be without fear or anxiety of the future or regrets of the past. In heaven, God’s compassion and mercy abound. "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain." (Revelation 21:4)
I don’t know if heaven is an all-inclusive luxury hotel with round-the-clock spa treatments or buffet feasts of gourmet delicacies. Yet, in Revelation 7:16 we discover that, "never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat." The heavens are a storehouse of God’s bounty. The pure of heart will receive blessings from the Lord, for"no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless." (Psalm 84:11)
Heaven may be God’s best kept secret. In the words of the MercyMe song, "I Can Only Imagine."
Showing posts with label mercy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mercy. Show all posts
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Common Grounds - Every Child Needs a Laptop
"All children need a laptop. Not a computer, but a human laptop. Moms, Dads, Grannies and Grandpas, Aunts, Uncles - someone to hold them, read to them, teach them. Loved ones who will embrace them and pass on the experience, rituals and knowledge of a hundred previous generations. Loved ones who will pass to the next generation their expectations of them, their hopes , and their dreams." General Colin Powell
I love Colin Powell’s quote. It prompts me to find a small child to plant on my lap. There is immense power in a laptop - a most intimate seating - to convey knowledge, experience, and great expectations.
My own youth was blessed with warm embraces and laptop chats. I was bathed in the love of my parents. From them I learned how to love and how to serve. The hours spent at my mother’s side in the kitchen introduced me to the touches that turn an ordinary meal into a loving occasion. Mom opened my eyes to the importance of details. Meanwhile, my Dad encouraged me to think big. We worked together for years and I learned about perseverance, quick wit and how to sell the sizzle not the steak.
I spent ample time on my parents’ laptops. I was held, read to, and lovingly taught. My mother’s soft caress invited me to linger. She read to my brother and me each night as we explored the amazing fantasy world of novels. My father’s work caused him to travel extensively. Each faraway trip was an opportunity for a private laptop reunion. My parents were clear they had big expectations of me, hopes for a successful career and marriage and future. So what was missing?
Read James 3:17 and you’ll discover the missing ingredient. "...Wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." Although our family life was filled with love, we forgot to include God’s lessons. The rich teachings I received were far from complete, for how can you learn of love and omit the most famous teacher? As Paul advised in Colossians 3:12-14, "...clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together is perfect unity."
I’m grateful to God for sending other teachers and other "laptops". Aunt Rosie reminded me not to be too busy to pray. A neighbor, Mrs. Brown, modeled authenticity and encouraged purity. Their teachings often fell on the deaf ears of a 12 or 17 or 24-year-old. Sometimes messages were lost or unappreciated. They didn’t give up on me and for that I am blessed.
I wonder, were they apprehensive sharing these values with me? Did they ever waver and wonder, "should I or shouldn’t I?"
Looking at Paul in Acts 17:16-23, I am humbled by his courage. He was ever brave and sure. If he had doubts about speaking the truth of God’s mercy through Jesus, there is no proof of it in his actions in Athens.
I look to my own children and wonder what message am I sending them? What lessons will they carry in their hearts? Not just the lessons from daily prayers or mealtime thanksgivings or evening devotions, what will they learn from our common everyday life?
As my parents grow old in years, I face the prospects of the tables being turned; someday I’ll be their caregiver. When my turn comes to hold them in my arms and wipe away their tears and calm their fears, will I have shared all they need to know?
I pray for the courage to share the Gospel with all those I love. I need courage. To be completely honest, I fear ridicule and rejection from those I love. Will they react as the philosophers did to Paul in Athens saying, "What is this babbler trying to say?" What if I never even try to share God’s promise? What then? My deeper fear is that I would miss my opportunity to spend eternity with them.
I pray that, like Paul, I will press forward in finding some common grounds to build upon. Rather than focusing on the difference between us, we can start with all we have in common. We want to be together to share love, laughter and a good meal.
I love Colin Powell’s quote. It prompts me to find a small child to plant on my lap. There is immense power in a laptop - a most intimate seating - to convey knowledge, experience, and great expectations.
My own youth was blessed with warm embraces and laptop chats. I was bathed in the love of my parents. From them I learned how to love and how to serve. The hours spent at my mother’s side in the kitchen introduced me to the touches that turn an ordinary meal into a loving occasion. Mom opened my eyes to the importance of details. Meanwhile, my Dad encouraged me to think big. We worked together for years and I learned about perseverance, quick wit and how to sell the sizzle not the steak.
I spent ample time on my parents’ laptops. I was held, read to, and lovingly taught. My mother’s soft caress invited me to linger. She read to my brother and me each night as we explored the amazing fantasy world of novels. My father’s work caused him to travel extensively. Each faraway trip was an opportunity for a private laptop reunion. My parents were clear they had big expectations of me, hopes for a successful career and marriage and future. So what was missing?
Read James 3:17 and you’ll discover the missing ingredient. "...Wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." Although our family life was filled with love, we forgot to include God’s lessons. The rich teachings I received were far from complete, for how can you learn of love and omit the most famous teacher? As Paul advised in Colossians 3:12-14, "...clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together is perfect unity."
I’m grateful to God for sending other teachers and other "laptops". Aunt Rosie reminded me not to be too busy to pray. A neighbor, Mrs. Brown, modeled authenticity and encouraged purity. Their teachings often fell on the deaf ears of a 12 or 17 or 24-year-old. Sometimes messages were lost or unappreciated. They didn’t give up on me and for that I am blessed.
I wonder, were they apprehensive sharing these values with me? Did they ever waver and wonder, "should I or shouldn’t I?"
Looking at Paul in Acts 17:16-23, I am humbled by his courage. He was ever brave and sure. If he had doubts about speaking the truth of God’s mercy through Jesus, there is no proof of it in his actions in Athens.
I look to my own children and wonder what message am I sending them? What lessons will they carry in their hearts? Not just the lessons from daily prayers or mealtime thanksgivings or evening devotions, what will they learn from our common everyday life?
As my parents grow old in years, I face the prospects of the tables being turned; someday I’ll be their caregiver. When my turn comes to hold them in my arms and wipe away their tears and calm their fears, will I have shared all they need to know?
I pray for the courage to share the Gospel with all those I love. I need courage. To be completely honest, I fear ridicule and rejection from those I love. Will they react as the philosophers did to Paul in Athens saying, "What is this babbler trying to say?" What if I never even try to share God’s promise? What then? My deeper fear is that I would miss my opportunity to spend eternity with them.
I pray that, like Paul, I will press forward in finding some common grounds to build upon. Rather than focusing on the difference between us, we can start with all we have in common. We want to be together to share love, laughter and a good meal.
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