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Stuck InTraffic
Yesterday evening, while traveling on the interstate, we came up on traffic which was barely moving at all.
We were on our way to meet some friends for supper, and were about 20 miles from our exit.
Both west bound lanes were jammed with cars and trucks, inching along and shifting from lane to lane. No one seemed to know which lane they should be in, or what had happened up ahead.
Oh, I tried to take a peek by driving over to the left shoulder and peering ahead as far as traffic would allow. But there was nothing that would indicate road work or an accident.
We were simply stuck in traffic.
Life is sort of like that. You’re stuck in traffic, not knowing which lane to drive in; kind of like driving blind.
Of course, we tried to get our iPhone’s Siri to identify the traffic problem, but this time even Siri couldn’t help us.
We needed to hear from someone who had been where we were headed.
I thought about that while driving home from our dinner date. Driving on that same road, this time traveling east, it was easy to understand why the traffic was so slow on the westbound side – road construction. There wasn’t any problem in identifying which was the correct lane to travel in.
It’s amazing what a different perspective can do for a person.
As I said, at times life is a bit like getting stuck in traffic. We really need the help of Someone Who has been where we’re going.
I know Someone like that.
I may not always know which lane to be in, but I know Who will guide me in the right direction.
How about you?
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.” (Proverbs 3:5-7 ESV)
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How hard is your heart?
Here’s a very important question for each husband and wife:
“How hard is your heart?”
What do I mean by a “hard heart”?
Our heart, our emotional and spiritual core, can be tender or hard, pliable or brittle, peaceful or wired, engaging or repulsive.
We are the ones who manage our heart.
Do you keep your eyes peeled for some kind of mistake or blunder by your spouse? If so, your heart may be getting hard.
Do you compare your spouse with a former girlfriend/boyfriend? Not a good move, if you’re trying to keep your heart tender to God AND to your spouse.
How are you at keeping confidences, or do you feel the need to expose your spouse’s idiosyncrasies to the world? Sclerosis of the heart is beginning to develop.
You’ve been hurt, cheated on, misunderstood, and abandoned by your spouse. But how’s your heart?
Is it tender to God?
Can God console you with His tenderness and strength? Are you interested in what He may have to say about your situation? If your answer is “No”, then your heart is growing hard.
If you will not guard your heart against becoming hard, there will probably come a time when you and your spouse will part ways.
Jesus said it.
They said to him, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.” (Matthew 19:7-8 ESV)
If EACH person, husband and wife, will make sure their heart is tender to God AND each other, divorce will NEVER, EVER, be a part of their lives.
So, how hard is your heart?
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Forgive Thyself?
We ran into a friend of ours the other day at Lowe’s Home Improvement store. A friend who just happens to be a counselor.While my wife and I visited with him, catching up on a couple years of stuff, we also reminisced about some of our counseling sessions from 20 years ago.
By the way, this counselor was one of the heroes God had in place to save my life and our marriage some 22 years ago. Wow!
Anyway, while we were chatting, our friend told us about something he’d been mulling around in his heart and mind for a while.
I haven’t been able to set it aside.
There’s a saying that’s been passed around for years; when it began I haven’t the foggiest.
WHERE it came from I have more than a sneaking suspicion.
The saying?
“You’ve got to forgive yourself.”
Or, to make it sound a little more righteous and spiritually authentic, just use a little of the King’s English, “Forgive thyself.”
You’ve heard it, haven’t you? Maybe even said it?
But is it true?
No.
Self-forgiveness is something concocted by the devil to keep us away from TRUE, GENUINE FORGIVENESS.
Adam and Eve TRIED to “forgive themselves”. But THEIR covering could never prove to be adequate. It took something much more substantial, much more personal. It required God’s intervention.
You may find the saying on the Internet, but you won’t find it in God’s Word, the Bible.
Why? Because you and I aren’t powerful enough, or pure enough, to expunge or earn our own forgiveness.
“But what if we sin only against ourselves?”
That is impossible. Because even IF no other human is affected, God is.
Sin affects God.
God forgives sin, through His Son Jesus Christ, and we forgive OTHERS who may have sinned against us. OTHERS can forgive us, but no one can forgive themselves.
“But I feel like I need to, because of what I’ve done in the past.”
Do you feel the guilt and shame over something you’ve done in the past? Have you asked God to forgive you, through the shed blood of Jesus Christ?
Have you asked those affected and offended to forgive you? Have you made the necessary restitution, if possible?
The “need” to forgive yourself is rooted in distrust and pride.
Distrust because God didn’t really mean what He said about forgiveness; at least where you’re concerned.
Pride, as your sin is far greater than the power of the Name and Blood of Jesus.
Yes, I really do understand the uncomfortable feelings of humility and the overwhelming sensation of complete brokenness because of how many people I hurt by doing something stupid AND morally wrong.
Sin has consequences, and some of them are extremely hard to stomach.
If you’re in that very unpleasant spot, forgiving yourself is not what you need to do. You can’t.
What you CAN do, after you’ve made things right with God AND others, is this:
1. Remember the pain, humility, harsh words; anything that resulted because of YOUR actions. On purpose. Don’t whitewash them, and don’t try and throw off any of YOUR guilt. Own YOUR ACTIONS. Do NOT attempt to justify any part of YOUR actions, like “I wouldn’t have done what I did IF…”
2. Take your pain, all that you’re remembering, and mentally place it on the cross with Jesus. It may help to read some of the verses I’ve included on this post. It also might benefit you to read, aloud, Isaiah 53:3-6.
“He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned – every one – to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:3-6 ESV)
3. Receive, by faith, again and again if necessary, the forgiveness JESUS purchased for you and I. You may need to pull out Psalm 103:2,3, reading it every day. “…Who forgives ALL your iniquities…”
4. Open your mouth and “confess” you are forgiven by God Almighty! Confession isn’t only about acknowledging sin. The word “confess” means to speak the same thing. The same thing as who? The same thing as God. When the Lord calls a thing wrong, or sin, then do the same. “This is wrong.” If you’re guilty of such a thing, confess it; “I am wrong.”
But when you’ve done that, and have asked God to forgive you, then confess His ANSWER, “God has forgiven me based on His Blood and His Word (then begin reading the pertinent verses OUT LOUD).
Here are some scriptures for you to read and learn. Don’t try and make do with a fig leaf. Get your REAL covering, AND complete forgiveness from the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world.
“Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.” (Psalm 25:18 ESV)
“Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” (Psalm 32:1 ESV)
“Lord…You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin.” (Psalm 85:1-2 ESV)
“For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.” (Psalm 86:5 ESV)
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases.” (Psalm 103:2-3 ESV)
“If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.” (Psalm 130:3-4 ESV)
“…and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:12-15 ESV)
“…But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…” (Matthew 9:6 ESV)
“So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” (Matthew 18:35 ESV)
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32 ESV)
“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,” (Colossians 2:13 ESV)
“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” (James 5:14-15 ESV)
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 ESV)
“I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.” (1 John 2:12 ESV)
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Moms are Special
Today is Mother’s Day. I must tell you up front that I’ve never known a perfect mom.
No, I’m not knocking anyone’s mother; yours, mine, or ours.
Eve, mankind’s first mom, wasn’t perfect. But she was special.
Mary, the woman who carried the Son of God in her womb, and along with her husband Joseph helped raise Jesus as He increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man; well, she wasn’t perfect either.
However, she was special.
I’ll say it again; mothers don’t have to be perfect to be special, because all moms are special.
And special doesn’t mean perfect.
Good. I’ve gotten that off my chest. Now I can go on with what I REALLY wanted to share.
Why do we make such a big deal on Mother’s Day? Why all the fuss? 364 days out of the year, it’s all business-as-usual. But when the second Sunday of May rolls around, all of a sudden flowers are purchased, restaurants fill up, and preachers scramble for that perfect message about God’s special emissaries; mothers.
Maybe Mother’s Day is really a vast right-wing conspiracy, an Illuminati operation, or a Black Sunday, put-us-over-the-top money maker for Hallmark.
I’m sure you have seen at least one Facebook post that reads something like this: “On the eighth day God created mothers.”
If all this annual fuss should be made about our mothers, what’s wrong with doing something all year long? If not, why the hypocrisy?
And what about mothers-in-laws? Careful, guys; don’t mumble too loud.
But really! Some mothers-in-law are just like a flesh and blood mom.
I know. I’ve got a mom in Heaven (some refer to her as my mother-in-law).
Perfect? No, not even close. Special? You’d better believe it.
Okay, so back to my original subject matter; mothers. What makes a mother special?
What makes the one you call mom special?
To me? A special mom ACTS like a mom.
One who cares for me, loving me unconditionally. Who takes the time to really understand my needs, to understand God’s design for my life, and seeks to train me up in the way I should go.
Something more than potty training, or teaching me how to wash the dishes.
A mother, in my book, is a nurturer, a giver, and a protector (it’s not just the father’s job, folks).
A mom will celebrate the achievements of her children, and will love her child’s family. She will understand the natural, God-given journey her child must take in order to grow, develop independence, and some day, as God directs, find a mate to cleave to.
And leave the House of Mom.
God has placed inside of every woman the capacity to be special; to be a mom. Maybe they can’t physically bear children, but they can, with God’s help, be special to someone.
And that’s something worth celebrating year round.
Just one more thing… I’ve watched my wife over the last 36 plus years be a mom to our son (and a mother-in-law for the last 10). Has she been a perfect mom? No.
But she’s been a mom. A real mom.
And to me, that’s special.
So, happy Mother’s Day, all of you special ladies.
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Your Best Days?
In spite of what some of the most popular preachers and pseudo prophets are feeding us, things are NOT getting better.
No, I’m not preaching gloom and doom.
I’m simply agreeing with what the Apostle Paul wrote almost 2,000 years ago.
“BUT UNDERSTAND this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear]. For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane. [They will be] without natural [human] affection (callous and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement); [they will be] slanderers (false accusers, troublemakers), intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good. [They will be] treacherous [betrayers], rash, [and] inflated with self-conceit. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God.” (2 Timothy 3:1-4 AMP)
Go ahead and say I’ve lost the sense I was born with.
But this is really bothering me; troubling my spirit.
Societal evolution has reached a point where human beings seem to be evolving into animals. Whatever inner urge, desire, passion, and feeling one has must be satisfied.
Like animals.
Animals. Except animals have a greater respect for life and the God of life than many so-called civilized people.
It’s kind of scary; thinking about how quickly things are decaying. And if THIS is your best life, your future is not very bright.
Isaiah gives a fairly accurate description of our world; its obsession with self and hatred toward God.
“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies; your tongue mutters wickedness… Their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their highways. The way of peace they do not know, and there is no justice in their paths; they have made their roads crooked; no one who treads on them knows peace.
“Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not overtake us; we hope for light, and behold, darkness, and for brightness, but we walk in gloom. We grope for the wall like the blind; we grope like those who have no eyes; we stumble at noon as in the twilight, among those in full vigor we are like dead men… our transgressions are with us, and we know our iniquities: transgressing, and denying the Lord, and turning back from following our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart lying words. Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far away; for truth has stumbled in the public squares, and uprightness cannot enter.” (Isaiah 59:1-14 ESV)
I ask you; doesn’t it seem like Isaiah was speaking of our perilous, pressurized days?
And how about these words, also penned by Isaiah:
“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight! Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine, and valiant men in mixing strong drink, who acquit the guilty for a bribe, and deprive the innocent of his right.” (Isaiah 5:20-23 ESV)
I’d love to say to everyone, “These are your best days. Enjoy yourself. Live it up! Eat, drink, and be merry.”
But I can’t.
Yes, it’s true; Jesus came to give us life, and life more abundant. But Jesus used the word “zoe” when He said “life”. “Zoe” is the God-kind of life. What’s the God-kind of life look like? A simple description is found in Galatians:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…” (Galatians 5:22,23 ESV)
God doesn’t live a helter-skelter kind of life. Even His ways are governed and orderly. He’s not living for His own pleasure, nor is He consumed with having His own way.
He alone knows how to really satisfy the human heart, and has everything we could ever need or want; if we’d only look to Him instead of being governed by our own selfishness.
He is patiently waiting for this world to turn back to His fountain of life; but while He’s waiting, things are falling apart.
People are quickly filling their lives with everything that can’t satisfy.
There IS hope, in case you’re interested. But if you take God up on His offer, you’d better prepare to give up your “best life now.” Instead, get ready to buck against the systems of this humanistic society.
With God’s help, you can.“My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path…” (Proverbs 2:1-9 ESV)
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A Bad Taste
“I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You’re not cold, you’re not hot – far better to be either cold or hot! You’re stale. You’re stagnant. You make me want to vomit.” (Revelation 3:15 MSG)“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8 NLT)
Ok, followers of Jesus Christ. Here’s the deal:
…you and I have a relationship with both Jesus AND the devil.
Please don’t swear at me; it’s not becoming.
We’re either loving God, AND the things He loves, or we’re compromising. Compromise plays right into the devil’s hand.
Our relationship with God, through Jesus, is a family relationship. We are born of God. His sons and daughters.
Our relationship with the devil is an adversarial relationship. He is NEITHER family nor friend. He’s not a friend of our Father, and Father does not hire him to give us schooling on particular subjects (like patience).
There is NO communion between light and darkness.
But sometimes we ignore that truth and begin to live in a confused state. That’s when Jesus speaks to us in a not so friendly tone.
Jesus told the Laodicean church (the cream-of-the-crop, best-of-everything, we’re-the-cutting-edge, pay-attention-‘cuz-we’re-good group) that, basically, they made Him sick.
“You make me want to vomit”, is how He put it.
That’s just the kind of stuff the devil, our adversary, loves to hear Him say.
However…
As we remember that God is our Father and the devil is our adversary, and not confuse the two, the Lord embraces us while the devil becomes sick to his stomach.
Sweet!
The Father loves you; live in the power of His love.
The devil hates you; give him all the more reason to be upset with you by acting like the Son of God.
Either the devil will spit you out of his mouth, or Jesus will. Depends on how you’re living, and who you’re trusting.
Embrace God’s way of living; leave a bad taste in the devil’s mouth.
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Intentions and Actions
I heard something a long time ago that is probably appropriate for today’s world.
Are you ready for this?
We love to judge people by their actions, and yet demand they judge us by our intentions.
“Here’s what I meant…”
“Let me explain to you what I was thinking…”
“I realize what it looked like, or sounded like, but that wasn’t what I was saying…”
Have you ever heard the phrase, “Give them the benefit of the doubt”?
It implies taking into consideration, as you are gathering the facts you’ll use to pass judgment upon someone, that it’s impossible to know everything about someone; their actions AND their motives.
Notice I said “impossible”.
I’ll admit I have been as guilty as anyone; judging and sentencing someone I “know” is as guilty as sin.
But I could be missing something important.
Jesus said something that just might save you and I a lot of heartache and trouble; IF we take heed.
“For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.” (Matthew 7:2 NLT)
The standard. The rule. The measuring stick. Used by one for all.
“I know what I see and hear. Therefore, because I saw you do… and say… you are guilty.”
So, with that “understanding”, your next move is to sentence the criminal. This is done in a number of ways:
1. Belittling
2. Demeaning
3. Ignoring
4. Ostracizing
5. Gossiping
6. Physical attacks
But is that the way YOU want to be treated? Are YOU ready to be tethered to the same leash you want others to be tied to?
It’s not a good idea.
You see, there’s only One Who knows everything about everyone.
And neither you, nor I, are that person.
We are told throughout the scriptures to judge with righteous judgment.
However, most people, myself included, have an extremely hard time judging one’s actions apart from any personal bias.
Again, there’s only One Who can.
So the next time you build a case against someone, stop and think. Is it possible you may have missed something in the way you interpreted their actions, heard their conversation, or read their writings? Would YOU want someone to draw and quarter you based on the same information?
What would Jesus do?
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Power To The Faint
“Be strong, hang in there, you can make it, keep a stiff upper lip, hold it together…”
Words spoken by well meaning people.
But is that the best advice?
Maybe. But not always.
Many times it is the exact opposite of what we really need to do.
“Oh, come on, man! Are you crazy?”
Think of it this way: if I’m trying so hard to keep it all together, to keep my power generator cranking out all the energy I can muster; if I’m pushing myself to dangerous levels and STILL not making it, maybe I should try something else.
Like giving up?
Really.
It’s a principle of God’s Kingdom.
“He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.” (Isaiah 40:29 ESV)
Power to the faint; the exhausted, the spent, the empty.
Did you get that? The EMPTY have room for what He has to give.
The way of the Kingdom.
“He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich (full) He has sent away empty.” (Luke 1:53 ESV)
“For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-29 ESV)
The way of the Kingdom.
It’s a principle Paul learned when he complained three times to the Lord about all the beatings he had been receiving. (Paul’s true “thorn”)
“Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:8-10 ESV)
Many folks believe God answered Paul with a resounding, “NO!”. But read the passage again. God told Paul, “What I have for you is sufficient. Allow MY grace to be your strength. Don’t just approach My throne of grace; RECEIVE My grace to help you in your time of need.”
As long as we are convinced God needs OUR strength, we will fail. But if we will understand it’s okay to feel (and be) weak, that’s when we’ll begin to experience GOD’S strength – His power to overcome any obstacle or weakness.
He gives power to the FAINT! To the exhausted. To the empty, bankrupt, breathless and starving.
Which is actually what every one of us are.
Don’t be too strong for your own good. Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, and He WILL lift you up.
He gives power to the faint.
Do you remember how God delivered the Israelites from the land of Egypt? Do you remember WHEN He did? Here’s a hint:
“Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings…” (Exodus 3:7 ESV)
Many times the Lord must wait for us to become so weak we finally call for His help. The children of Israel were in Egypt 430 years; and when the situation became more than they could bear, they cried out to God. And God heard them.
Jesus said, “My Father knows what you have need of, even before you ask.”
Yet, the answer doesn’t magically appear just because we’re His kids. Until we’ve exhausted all our resources, we aren’t capable of receiving His help.
But He gives power to the faint.
Are you willing to empty yourself of your strength, and humble yourself under His mighty hand?
If so, He’ll raise you up. Then you will experience His power for the faint.
“But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”” (James 4:6 ESV)
So be it!
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That First Morning
I’m gonna miss my friend Ross. I’m going to think about him every time I see a garbage truck, or someone playing a guitar left handed, or pull in my fishing line with a big, ol’ catfish hooked on the end.
I’m going to miss his exuberance for Jesus, and his love for kids.
He was so proud of his family; his wife, kids, siblings, folks.
I will miss his texts, “Busy? Got a minute to talk?” And then we’d knock down 60 minutes talking about the things of God.
This morning Ross went to Heaven.
Every time a friend passes from earth to glory, I wonder what that first morning is like. Actually, I dream about it.
You might even say I fantasize about Heaven.
And why not? The Apostle Paul wrote, “My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.” (Philippians 1:23 ESV)
Notice he said, “FAR BETTER”.
That first morning will be worth all the pain, suffering, and misunderstandings endured as we followed Christ in this life.
Again, Paul wrote, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18 ESV)
So what is that first morning like?
Well, I believe it’s kind of like that first morning in the Garden of Eden. The dawn of creation. Where everything was just as God created it to be.
Good and VERY good.
Where Adam and Eve walked with God, without shame or embarrassment; and BEFORE the serpent manipulated his way into power.
Yes, it’s kind of like that first garden, only much better.
Better? Wasn’t everything perfect in the garden?
Apparently not. Could have been, however…
But that first morning in Heaven will be MUCH better than Eden could EVER have been.
How?
Well, first of all, there’s no need for the sun (or moon); the Glory of God shining through the Son is its light.
Second, there’s no devil or tempter.
Third, sorrow and mourning are wiped away.
Fourth, we’ll have a grand reunion with our sainted loved ones.
But the main reason I believe Eden can’t compare with Heaven, yes, that first morning in Heaven, is the love relationship with our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Sure, Adam and Eve were forgiven in the Garden of Eden. But they had to leave. Those of us who have received Jesus as Lord and Savior have experienced the new birth, the witness of the Spirit, and the freedom that comes from knowing the love of God.
On this side of eternity, our hearts yearn, even ache, to forever be with the Lover of our soul. That’s something Adam and Eve couldn’t experience.
They never knew the power of the Resurrection. They were forgiven and clothed by God, yet could not partake of His divine nature as described by Peter in 2 Peter 1:2-4:
“May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.” (2 Peter 1:2 – 1:4 ESV)
That first morning in Heaven will be an unfolding of everything Jesus is to us, for us, and with us.
And that first morning with last for all eternity; for the manifold wisdom and glory of God will never grow old, never run out.
I miss my buddy Ross. He’s the most recent friend to have completed his journey through this life.
So while I’m still here, kicking around my world, trying to let others know of my Savior’s love, my friend has just begun a brand new adventure; the final, forever adventure.
I can hardly wait.
Here’s a nice, happy tune called “First Morning in Heaven” by Chris Christian. Enjoy.
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Today I May See God
“Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. After all, everyone dies – so the living should take this to heart.” (Ecclesiastes 7:2 NLT)
Old Solomon had some interesting sayings, especially in the book of Ecclesiastes.
What could Solomon be getting at: “Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties”?
Really? Don’t you just know that would make for a real, exciting life!
No?
But maybe there is something to it.
Probably.
Whenever I attend a funeral, I always think about eternity. You know, life beyond the grave. I realize not everyone thinks like me; some believe once your body dies, that’s it. Nothing else.
Others believe that when the body dies, the spirit and soul of the person travels at the speed of light, and arrives at some sort of holding pen, awaiting the final word, or “thumbs up/down”, from an angel of God. The final destination isn’t known until the very end.
Of course, I have my beliefs about eternity, which I believe are in agreement with the scriptures.
My beliefs in a nutshell? Man’s eternity is determined by their understanding of, and relationship with, God’s Son, Jesus.
Simply put: “he who has the Son has life, he who doesn’t has the wrath of God abiding on them” (John 3:36).
We’ll see who’s right.
I think that’s what Solomon was attempting to get across to his readers.
Think about eternity, people.
Don’t live your life as if there’s nothing more than just a pile of dirt awaiting you when you die. What you believe and do determines what happens when you finally “give up the ghost”.
Yep, I think old Solomon had this thought bouncing around in his brain when he wrote his notes:
“Today I may see God.”
And, you know, that could be true for you and I.
Jan Grace
adding God's Word into my world…
Jan Grace 