Once the holiday is planned and everything is booked, my wife then begins to eagerly look forward to it; me not so much! I know I will enjoy it once I am there but I am quite content to let it arrive without much fuss.
Question
Is that how you consider your heavenly destination? You know you will enjoy it once you are there, but you are quite content to let it arrive without much fuss?
The early followers of Jesus were so different. They eagerly awaited the return of Jesus. In fact, the Apostle Paul spoke as if he was going to be alive himself when Jesus came.
We who are living when the Lord comes again will not go before those who have already died.
1 Thessalonians 4:15
The last prayer in the Bible is “Even so Lord Jesus come quickly”.
As I have said previously, my wife loves to go abroad and again me not so much because of the whole flying experience. If I do have to go abroad I prefer to go by train. Therefore lots of our holidays abroad have been by that method, but for quickness (once you actually get on the plane) I concede that it is by far the best way to travel.
This is the issue….
- I hate the whole experience from leaving the house to arriving at the airport hours and hours in advance.
- The checking in.
- Passport control, yes most times I get the bleep when being monitored by security because I have left my keys or some other object in my pockets or bags!
- Then just when you have overcome all that experience the announcement…your plane is late (my honeymoon flight was delayed seven hours, not arriving in Rome till midnight!).
- Extra charges for whatever they can come up with.
- Don’t get me started on packing!!
- Finally, the brochure, of course, will always tell you dates and times are subject to numerous uncontrollable events (list of clauses in small print) and nothing can be guaranteed, so take out insurance.
Well for our final page in our heavenly brochure I confess it too will have to give you details regarding date, time of flight and insurance etc.
- Date and time are definitely unknown. “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son but the Father only. Matthew 24:36 (ESV)
- The announcement of the flight. The Lord himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. 1 Thessalonians 4:16.
- Insurance Jesus answered, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. The only way to the Father is through me.” John 14:6 (NCV)
- Time of flight – will take only a second — as quickly as an eye blinks when the last trumpet sounds. 1 Corinthians 15:52 that is definitely the best part for me.
- Final announcement – So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at a time you don’t expect him. Matthew 24:44 (NCV) Do not miss the flight. There is no other flight scheduled.
I hope you have enjoyed putting our brochure together of heaven but most of all, I hope you are going. Are you not sure? You can know for sure by saying this simple prayer.
Dear God,
I come to you now, and I want a personal relationship with You. I want to be able to call You my Father. I want to know that I have access into Your presence, that I have Your full attention when I pray, that I get answers to my prayers. And so… I confess to You that I am a sinner and I am so sorry. I am not perfect. I have done wrong things, and I am willing to turn away from my sin and my self-centeredness if You’ll help me.
And I believe Jesus died on the Cross for me. I am asking that You would forgive me in His name, wash me clean with His blood. And I believe Jesus rose up from the dead to give me eternal life. So right now I’m asking You, dear God, give me eternal life, which I understand is a personal relationship with You now and heaven when I die.
And I open up my heart, and I invite Jesus in the person of the Holy Spirit to come into me. I understand He will never leave nor forsake me. And I choose from this moment forward to submit my life to His authority, to follow Him in a life of obedience one day at a time, to follow Him all the way to HEAVEN. I thank You for hearing my prayer that I have prayed in Jesus’ name and for His glory. Amen.