As I wind down my study on heaven, I have a simple observation.
The observation has led to a few questions.
First, the observation:
As I’ve posted my blogs, turning my thoughts upward, the response to these thoughts has turned downward.
The amount of hits has lessened.
The comments are not as frequent.
The “likes” on social media have slightly altered.
The questions:
Is this indicative that in the midst of LIFE, the last thing we want to focus on is what comes after?
Is this proportionate to how frequently our thoughts turn to things above…significantly less than other things?
Are we, as believers, in general, living with more of a ho-hum-mindset where heaven is concerned?
Are we, not dissimilar to people living in a third-world-culture, less likely to look at what lies ahead as we make our decisions that will affect us in the now?
Are our lives so focused on what we have to do TODAY, because TODAY is so full and chaotic, that we can only think about putting one foot in front of the other, leaving no room for what may come down the road ahead?
Have we so bought into the idea of “carpe diem” (seize the day) that we forget there’s a tomorrow for which we ought to prepare?
Or, are we just completely disinterested, and whatever comes comes? We’ll just adjust to it when it happens…
I don’t have an answer to those questions, I’m just curious.
However, focusing on our “upward call in Christ Jesus” is at the foundation of Christianity…for many reasons.
As I’ve pondered this, a familiar passage keeps popping up, so I finally turned to it for specific reflection.
Let’s set the stage – Jesus has been teaching his disciples in what we know as the “Sermon on the Mount.” Huge crowds have gathered, so many thousands that people were stepping on one another, and there was a growing fear that some could be trampled (Luke 12:1). Yet, Jesus continues to teach. He has just told his disciples not to fear what man might do to them on earth, but rather to place their “fear/awe” in the One who is in charge of what happens to them following LIFE… With this ringing in their ears, a lone voice calls out from the crowd…
“Teacher, (then) please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.” (It doesn’t indicate it, but I can just hear the rest of the crowd start to chuckle at this man’s audacity…)
Jesus replied, “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?” (More snickering…)
Then (Jesus) said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!” “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’ “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
Luke 12:13-21 (NLT)
What does this have to do with thoughts of heaven? Got to tell ya, I wondered myself, but here’s where I landed the plane…
On earth we live to exist.
Yet, more than exist, we want to LIVE WELL…
We want to “get all we can, can all we get, then sit on the lid,” to coin a phrase…
Our mindset isn’t too far off from this rich man. Stay busy, busy, busy, to build up our kingdom, so that we can retire in ease.
Our mindset is on earthly-gain, earthly-ease, earthly-retirement, our earthly-future.
It’s the world’s way, and the prince of the world, has made it look so desirable, that our minds are clouded to the fact that we aren’t of this world…heaven is our home!
If the devil can get our minds distracted on our temporary home, he wins.
This distraction is just enough:
- to reduce our excitement about God’s Kingdom
- to introduce the thought that this is all there is to life (so that we forget there is an AFTER LIFE)
- to forget that the more important goal is not the wealth we gather, but the relationship with the Lord that we invest in (how sad to meet Him face-to-face and realize we don’t really know Him, because on earth we have not been invested in intimacy with Him)
- to live for what really isn’t even ours in the end anyway (what we work for on earth is only “wood, hay, and stubble” and will simply “burn up” in the end – 1 Corinthians 3:11-13), instead of working for lasting treasure (Matthew 6:19-21)
- to eliminate all hope…when our mindset is to live in the chaos of the NOW, when hardship comes, persisting in hope is gone (Romans 12:11-12)!
All of this is just enough to leave us as lukewarm as a nice comfy soak in a bath tub sprinkled with lavender oil.
So, I’m back where I started when I began to study HOPE.
Jesus is the rock on which all HOPE is built.
HOPE is found in God’s good promises.
God’s best promise is HEAVEN.
To get our minds off of heaven is Satan’s goal.
It leaves us right where that sneaky foe wants us: totally distracted, totally disengaged, totally lukewarm.
So I echo Jesus’ words (they are always a good idea when it comes to dealing with our adversary):
But (Jesus) turned and said…“Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
Matthew 16:23 (ESV)
Instead…
Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.
Colossians 3:2 (NLT)
