2 Corinthians 5:1-5
For instance, we know that when
these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they
will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven—God-made, not
handmade—and we’ll never have to relocate our “tents” again. Sometimes
we can hardly wait to move—and so we cry out in frustration. Compared to
what’s coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an
unfurnished shack, and we’re tired of it! We’ve been given a glimpse of
the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of
God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what’s ahead. He puts a
little of heaven in our hearts so that we’ll never settle for less.
Scripture
quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002
by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs,
CO. All rights reserved.
Timothy’s Sunday school
teachers have done an excellent job of teaching him about Heaven…so good
that he has said more than once, “I can’t wait to go there!” I
reminded him that we will go when God is ready for us…but that
meanwhile, we have things to do here - like grow up, go to school, have
families, get jobs and serve others. He agrees with me…but I honestly
do not think this child fears Heaven in the least.
This is
heady stuff for an almost-seven-year-old. But then, this little boy has
experienced more death in the last three years than most children his
age…my grandmother, several pets, and the recent passing of Greg’s
brother, Bruce (who was Timmy’s friend), and my mother – his Granny. He
is truly comforted to picture them in Heaven…as are we.
I like
the thought that God whets our appetite for Heaven by giving us glimpses
of what it will be like…a beautiful sunset…a gorgeous day spent on the
lake or in the woods…the faces of our children…even the striking images
that have appeared this week on Facebook of wall clouds and funnel
clouds as storms moved across our state. A friend shared video today of
his daughter’s hiking trip in Patagonia, and I marveled at the
mountains and glaciers. Greg and I watched a “Smithsonian Channel”
program of aerial footage of some of America’s most beautiful places,
and we were in awe of the spectacular scenery.
Someone does
something kind for us out of the blue, and we are reminded of the
blessings of God. We look at the intricacies of a newborn baby … the
incredible markings of our pet or another animal…or the amazing details
of spring flowers…and we think, “Surely this is a touch of Heaven on
Earth.”
I don’t know about you, but I believe that Heaven is all
that the Bible says it is…and more. I believe that for every beautiful
experience I have on this earth…I will have ten thousand times more when
I get to Heaven. Yes, there are days when I want to “fold up my tent”
and just “get on with it!” But as I told Timothy…God is not ready for
me yet. I have work to do…people to love, service to offer, and sunsets
and beauty of all kinds still to enjoy!
Having some idea of what
lies ahead does make this earthly life sweeter…and I thank God for this
gift – and for all of His blessings. I’m Heaven bound…and that makes
everything better! What about you?
© Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label new bodies in heaven. Show all posts
Showing posts with label new bodies in heaven. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for December 15, 2015
Hebrews 12:28-29
Do you see what we’ve got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He’s actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won’t quit until it’s all cleansed. God himself is Fire!
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Yesterday, I made a trek to our family cemetery to set out flowers on the graves of several loved ones. I do this two or three times a year…filling the little pipes that are driven into the ground at each marker with a few silk flowers. This time it was white poinsettias for the winter season. I also clean up stray flowers that have blown around and pull any weeds that have crept up around the headstones. In addition to paying respect and remembering our loved ones, this is an opportunity to check up on the overall condition of the cemetery and make sure that everything is in order.
But yesterday, everything was in tip-top shape. Not only had the grounds been mowed, but someone had actually run a weedeater around each grave and whacked away any stray grass and weeds. The day was sunny, crisp and clear. The sky was a bright blue, and wispy white clouds were being quickly blown along by a strong wind. I stayed longer than usual, talking to God and thinking about each person whose life was represented there.
It’s okay…I know I’m weird…but I have always loved visiting cemeteries. I am at peace there. I do not find them morbid, sad or frightening. As I walked among the family graves yesterday and set out the flowers, I thought of each person buried beneath the soil…and I thanked God for them. I laughed as I thought of how my brother totally disliked artificial flowers and would not have been a fan of the ones I placed on his grave. I thought of how artfully my Mam-ma Polly arranged flowers, and I could almost hear her clucking her tongue at my dismal efforts as I stuck several stems into the pipe at her headstone.
I stuck a few extra stems in the ground at the graves of my great-aunts, Fay and Lugilla…and I thought of these sweet women and how hard their lives were. I set out flowers for my dad and my Pap-pa Truman, knowing neither one of them would have cared less if their graves were decorated or not. And I thanked God for these people and what they meant to me…how they served Him and represented Jesus on this earth. I sat and looked around this pastoral cemetery, flanked by a meandering manmade lake, with Sugar Loaf Mountain in the distance as a backdrop…and I felt God’s peace AND His power.
God worked in the lives of every one of these people…each in a totally different way. But in the end, He cleansed them and made them into new creatures – both on this earth, and again as they entered the gates of Heaven. And He will do this for each of us, if we will let Him.
Someday, I will join my loved ones at this family plot…and that is not a scary thought for me. I know that I won’t really be there - that only what’s left of my earthly body will be physically present. I will have been cleansed once again by God’s fire and given a new body in heaven. I have an idea how I would like for it to look…but I know whatever God chooses for me will be even more perfect!
My prayer for you today is that you are not afraid of God’s cleansing fire…that you embrace His efforts to whack away the weeds and stray grasses and create something pure and lovely. I pray that you know the peace of a future secured for you in Heaven someday, complete with a perfect, beautiful body and more love and abundance than you can ever imagine. And I pray that you are serving God with a grateful heart…thankful for His cleansing fire and amazing love. We’ve been given an unshakable Kingdom…do you see it?!
©2015 Debbie Robus
Do you see what we’ve got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He’s actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won’t quit until it’s all cleansed. God himself is Fire!
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Yesterday, I made a trek to our family cemetery to set out flowers on the graves of several loved ones. I do this two or three times a year…filling the little pipes that are driven into the ground at each marker with a few silk flowers. This time it was white poinsettias for the winter season. I also clean up stray flowers that have blown around and pull any weeds that have crept up around the headstones. In addition to paying respect and remembering our loved ones, this is an opportunity to check up on the overall condition of the cemetery and make sure that everything is in order.
But yesterday, everything was in tip-top shape. Not only had the grounds been mowed, but someone had actually run a weedeater around each grave and whacked away any stray grass and weeds. The day was sunny, crisp and clear. The sky was a bright blue, and wispy white clouds were being quickly blown along by a strong wind. I stayed longer than usual, talking to God and thinking about each person whose life was represented there.
It’s okay…I know I’m weird…but I have always loved visiting cemeteries. I am at peace there. I do not find them morbid, sad or frightening. As I walked among the family graves yesterday and set out the flowers, I thought of each person buried beneath the soil…and I thanked God for them. I laughed as I thought of how my brother totally disliked artificial flowers and would not have been a fan of the ones I placed on his grave. I thought of how artfully my Mam-ma Polly arranged flowers, and I could almost hear her clucking her tongue at my dismal efforts as I stuck several stems into the pipe at her headstone.
I stuck a few extra stems in the ground at the graves of my great-aunts, Fay and Lugilla…and I thought of these sweet women and how hard their lives were. I set out flowers for my dad and my Pap-pa Truman, knowing neither one of them would have cared less if their graves were decorated or not. And I thanked God for these people and what they meant to me…how they served Him and represented Jesus on this earth. I sat and looked around this pastoral cemetery, flanked by a meandering manmade lake, with Sugar Loaf Mountain in the distance as a backdrop…and I felt God’s peace AND His power.
God worked in the lives of every one of these people…each in a totally different way. But in the end, He cleansed them and made them into new creatures – both on this earth, and again as they entered the gates of Heaven. And He will do this for each of us, if we will let Him.
Someday, I will join my loved ones at this family plot…and that is not a scary thought for me. I know that I won’t really be there - that only what’s left of my earthly body will be physically present. I will have been cleansed once again by God’s fire and given a new body in heaven. I have an idea how I would like for it to look…but I know whatever God chooses for me will be even more perfect!
My prayer for you today is that you are not afraid of God’s cleansing fire…that you embrace His efforts to whack away the weeds and stray grasses and create something pure and lovely. I pray that you know the peace of a future secured for you in Heaven someday, complete with a perfect, beautiful body and more love and abundance than you can ever imagine. And I pray that you are serving God with a grateful heart…thankful for His cleansing fire and amazing love. We’ve been given an unshakable Kingdom…do you see it?!
©2015 Debbie Robus
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