For our tenth anniversary, Lou and I took a trip to the Alabama coast and then drove to New Orleans for the final two nights. One of the things on Lou’s “must-do” list in New Orleans was to walk down Bourbon Street late at night. Before that night, I hadn’t even heard of Bourbon Street. I guess you could say I was pretty sheltered growing up. The only reason why Lou wanted to do that was to say “I did it.” I remember feeling uneasy as we walked. I could hear all the music, laughter, dancing, and partying in the clubs. As a Christian, that life of partying, drinking, and engaging in sinful acts was foreign to me. You couldn’t get me away from that place fast enough.
I often feel the same way traveling these roads on this earth. Our key verse jumped out to me this morning: “For you died to this life, and your REAL life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). No wonder I feel like a fish out of water in this world. No wonder I feel like a stranger living in a foreign land most of the time. This is not my REAL life. My real life is where Jesus is. My real life is in heaven. It seems that the one place I feel at home here is when I’m with God’s people. At church. In my Christian community. Within my Tribe. Why? Because it’s like I’m getting a little slice of heaven when I’m surrounded by God’s people. Whether we are in church listening to a sermon, talking about Jesus, praying together, or just fellowshipping, this is where I feel at home. That doesn’t mean that I don’t associate with nonbelievers… I absolutely do. I want my light to shine in this dark place. But my REAL life is hidden in Christ. And that is where I feel most comfortable.
With that said… what can I do when I’m struggling with the world around me? What can I do when the world is getting louder and bolder, when all I want to do is close my ears? In that moment, I thought about the apostle Paul. How did he deal with the uneasiness of this world? How did he handle with the hardships, the pain, the loneliness in this world? I mean… he went through more than we’ll ever go through. Well, he tells the Colossian believers exactly what he did and what we should do… “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of the earth” (Colossians 3:1-2).
Thinking about heaven seems to lift us up out of the pit, offers us a whole new perspective, and gives us hope. Think about the day you will see Jesus for the first time, hear His voice, look into His eyes, and feel His hand on your shoulders. Think about joining that angelic choir. Think about all the glorious sites you will witness. Think about how heaven will not have any darkness because Jesus is the light of heaven. Think about the great fellowship you will share with old and new friends. Think about NO MORE… no more death, no more pain, no more sorrow, no more tears (maybe happy tears), no more chaos, no more disunity. Think about the love that will abound in that place. Think about the home Jesus is right now preparing for you. Think about standing side-by-side with the great heroes of the faith worshiping Jesus. Think about reuniting with your loved ones (I can’t wait to hug my dad, my sister, and my grandma again). I picture Lori saying, “Follow me Sheryl, I want to show you this!”
Wow, this truly does make a difference, right? Fixing our thoughts on heaven can take the sting out of today. Let this encourage you today.