Greetings in Christ,
The morning is very bright with the sun shining like it never had before. There is singing in the background, and the voices are in perfect pitch. There is something different about this morning. There are different surroundings, and many people walking by the house. Many people who had not walked by for a long time appeared in the neighborhood. What is going on here?
Many of those people have not been alive for a long time walked by this morning. There goes George and Louise. They lived down the road just a way, but I thought they had passed years ago. Where have they been for so long? They must have been somewhere else all this time, but then out of the corner of my eye I see Tom the meanest man I ever had to deal with. I do not even want to see him today, but wait his obituary was in the paper just a few months ago. What is going on?
Then it hits me I am not at home; I am in heaven.
We often have preconceived notions about what we think a scenario will be like, but we often find ourselves having to rethink those scenarios when reality hits us in the face. How many times have we thought about something only to find out later we were wrong? We create in our mind what we think heaven will be like with a preconceived idea of what we think and who will be in heaven. We base our idea on what we consider to be reality for us, but we do not have a clue to the whole picture, and we do not include those whom we think will not make the cut to get into heaven.
People have been trying to determine who will make the cut to get into heaven for many generations. People have been trying to base their idea of those who would be worthy to get into heaven and forgetting it is not up to them to make those decisions. God the Father does not want anyone to miss out on the opportunity to get into heaven and He has worked in many ways to provide an opportunity for people to make a choice to be with Him.
Isaiah writes about God telling the people they will see Egypt and Assyria worshipping Him. In the middle of Egypt here will be an altar where the Egyptians will bow to Him and worship Him. Along with the altar there will be a highway which connects Egypt to Assyria, and both Assyria and Egypt will join Israel and worship God. Can you imagine Egypt and Assyria worshipping God? The ones who crushed Israel in many battles and they are bowing to God. How can this be?
Paul is writing to the Romans telling them they need to include the Gentiles in their worship. The Gentiles are considered unworthy because they eat meat which is unclean and offered to idols. Why is Paul telling them they need to be included?
When we really get down to the basics, nothing we have is ours. It is God’s. God does not consider our decisions when it comes to those who will make the cut to get into heaven. Many people will be in heaven we do not consider to be worthy. We will look around and see those who we deemed not worth it to even share the gospel with when we had the opportunity to tell them about Jesus. It is up to God to decide who can get into heaven. We are to be the messengers to declare the gospel to all people.
Luke writes about the parable Jesus told regarding the nobleman who claimed his kingdom. The nobleman had to leave and left ten men in charge to run the kingdom. Some of the men stepped up to the challenge and did well for the nobleman, but there was one who chose not to do anything fearing the nobleman. When the nobleman returned, he wanted the men to report to him and give account for their actions while he was gone. The nobleman took away from the one who did nothing and gave to the one who did the most and judged the one who did nothing accordingly.
We have a good idea of what heaven will like, but we cannot leave anyone out of the picture. There will be many people in heaven who we think should not be there by our standards here on earth, but it is not up to us to decide. God’s desire is for all His creation to be with Him, and not for us to be a part of the decision process. God wants us to be the messengers and to tell of His story of salvation. God is proud of His Son Who died on the cross for all mankind, and He wants us to declare what has been done to all mankind no matter our opinion of those who we share it with.
“I am a stranger in the earth; do not hide Your commandments from me. My soul is crushed with longing after Your ordinances at all times. You rebuke the arrogant, the cursed, who wander from Your commandments. Take away reproach and contempt from me, for I observe Your testimonies. Even though princes sit and talk against me, your servant meditates on Your statutes. Your testimonies also are my delight; they are my counselors. My soul cleaves to the dust; revive me according to Your word.
I have told of my ways, and You have answered me; teach me Your statutes. Make me understand the way of Your precepts, so I will meditate on Your wonders. My soul weeps because of grief; strengthen me according to Your word. Remove the false way from me, and graciously grant me Your law.” Psalm 119:19-29
Lord may we share Your word with everyone, and may we never hold back what You have done for us. Amen
Blessings,