Homeward Bound

I’d like to follow up on my thoughts about contentment, which I originally wrote about on the flight home for the summer. Since getting home, Mom and I have talked about it more, and I have had some more time to think and ponder.

The last couple days, this theme has been popping up. It showed up again tonight in family devotions as we read from 2^nd Corinthians 5. This passage explains how our bodies are earthly dwellings, which pale in comparison to our future heavenly bodies. Here, you can read it for yourself:

⁶ Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. ⁷ We live by faith, not by sight. ⁸ We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹ So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

As I discussed in my first post, I am torn between being at home and being at college. I long for one when I am at the other, because I love both so much. Ultimately, through our discussions and crazy little moments God provided recently, I realized that no matter where I am here on earth (JBU, home, or Outer Mongolia) there is a part of me that longs for heaven. These verses that we read tonight help me understand that. Did you catch it? It’s right there in verse 8: “We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”

All Christians are truly dual citizens. It’s not just between college and home, or one earthly country to another. We are residing for a little time here on earth, but as James says we are like a mist; we are here today and gone tomorrow. Hebrews describes us as “strangers and aliens.” We’re just passing through. Our true home is in heaven.

That means that the part of me that longs to be omnipresent so I could see Ryan and go to my sister’s orchestra concert knows that God can actually do that. The part of me that wants to talk with each person I meet until time runs out and then start all over again understands that in heaven we will have eternity to do just that.

I can’t wait to meet the Apostle Paul and hear his thoughts and adventures. I will finally find out who wrote Hebrews. Scripture says that Mary, the mother of Jesus, pondered all those things in her heart. I want to know all about her story.  I would love to sit at Moses’ feet and hear him tell the story of seeing God on the mountaintop. Peter and I could talk for hours about what it is like to be the most exuberant member of the group. None of this would ever get old. My spirit secretly yearns for these experiences.

Plus, I believe that in heaven food won’t have calories and that we will eat because we want to, not because we need it to stay alive. Food could actually be pure pleasure, without any guilt or “once over the lips, forever on the hips” challenges. Wouldn’t that be amazing?

Earth is just a glimpse of heavenly beauty.

This earth is a flawed preview of what heaven is going to be like. And it’s won’t be like those crummy previews at the movies—the ones where you know you’ve just seen all the best parts of the movie and there’s no reason you should pay good money to see any more of it. No sir! The best is yet to come. If you think earth is beautiful, how much more will heaven knock our socks off? (Wait, will we even have songs in heaven? Only God knows!) If you think love is powerful and wonderful here, wait until we experience the full and unbounded depths of God’s love. No longer will we be burdened by the weight of the world. We will be truly free. We won’t get tired or weary. There will be no more tears, death, sorrow, sin, fear or pain. Everything will be perfect, as God himself is perfect.

Interestingly enough, as I was writing this, Pandora began playing “Heaven is Here” by Jesus Culture on my worship music station. How fitting for my thoughts of this evening! God is amazing, down to the songs that play on my internet radio. I love Him! Anyway, these lyrics especially struck me.

‘Cause heaven is here now
He's all around us
Heaven is Jesus
It's the moment we meet

Wake up, the normal life
You can do whatever You want to
Shake up eternal signs
Because we want You.

We will never be perfectly content and our spirits will never be truly satisfied until we receive our heavenly bodies, until we experience all heaven’s joys and wonders.

This truth adds to the tension I feel when I’m at home. However, it also gives me something to look forward to. In many ways, it doesn’t matter whether I am in Ohio, Arkansas, Kansas, or on the other side of the planet. It matters that someday I’m headed to spend eternity with my Savior.

While this adds tension, it also brings clarity. I ask myself sometimes about what is truly important. The answer is that earthy possessions mean nothing. You can’t take treasures with you to heaven, but you can take people.

No matter what stage we are in life, today you and I can begin our heavenly treasure hunts. Look for the people you want to take with you to heaven. Make sure they’re coming with you. And while you’re here, begin pouring yourself and Christ’s love into their lives. Give them a taste of what heaven is like. Focus your energy on what really matters. How is your relationship with God? Do you trust him with everything? Does your love for Him spill over and affect others?

Check your heart and run to Him. Live in the light of eternity. Live by faith, not by sight. Be content where you are. Anticipate your heavenly home. Make your earthly body a worthwhile investment.