Keeping an eye on heaven

Keeping an eye on Heaven

James never was a ‘bad boy,’ never was wildly sinful, certainly not evil. He grew up in a middle class home. Religion was  a holiday thing; Christmas, Easter only.  He found the path to success, went to college, graduated, got a job, married, and had a couple of kids.  But, there was this emptiness, a lack of meaning. So, he started looking for answers.  He found them when a man he worked with talked about Jesus Christ. He responded to the Spirit and received the Gospel of Christ.  Christianity became more than going to a church down the street on those special days. 

For several years, he worshipped regularly, read his Bible, prayed, and to all appearances; he looked like a man whose faith was rock solid. Then; his marriage grew stale, one of his parents died, a close friend developed a serious illness. His 45^th birthday came and went, along with a growing awareness of his mortality. The thought came to James, again and again; “you have to live now!”  A woman at work flirted openly with him and it was just fun, “harmless,” he insisted. A couple of guys invited him to go along on trips over the weekends, without their wives.  There was often too much drinking and choices best forgotten on Monday morning.  “Just having some fun,” he told himself to stifle his conscience. That was five years ago.  Today, James is divorced, has left his church, and though he still says he is a Christian, there is no evidence of living faith. 
(Though there is not a real James, the story is all too true.)

Why do stories like that happen? 

There is a gradual spiritual drift that is inevitable if we lower our sight from Heaven to things of this present world! Christians must keep an eye on heaven!  "It’s crucial that we keep a firm grip on what we’ve heard so that we don’t drift off." (Hebrews 2:1, The Message)  " Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God." (Hebrews 12:1-2, The Message)  

Sacrifice, service, and self-denial just stop making sense if we lose sight of eternity. In an eloquent defense of our hope in Christ, in the 15^th chapter of 1^st Corinthians, Paul turns our attention to the Resurrection. He starkly says, "If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men." (1 Corinthians 15:19, NIV)  However, he is convinced, as am I, that Christ died and rose again.  We are more than a body, our existence extends past the grave. Our richest reward is not found this side of Heaven!  The philosophy of the rich man should be our guide if there is no heaven to be gained. What did he say? “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’  (Luke 12:19, NIV)

Take inspiration from Paul’s affirmation of hope.  After giving his all, serving faithfully, enduring disappointment, finding both success and failure in life, he writes this to his friend, Timothy. "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:7-8, NLT)  That’s no sigh of resignation! That’s a shout of triumph – “I made it, the finish line in sight, the reward waiting!”

Are you drifting in your faith?  Have you allowed the “worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things (to) come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful?”  (Mark 4:19)  Look up, higher, longer than tomorrow.  Pray for a new view of Heaven. "Keep your Creator in mind while you are young! In years to come, you will be burdened down with troubles and say, “I don’t enjoy life anymore.”  (Ecclesiastes 12:1, CEV)  "Everything you were taught can be put into a few words: Respect and obey God! This is what life is all about." (Ecclesiastes 12:13, CEV) "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward." (1 Corinthians 3:11-14, NIV)

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Farther Along

Tempted and tried, we're oft made to wonder,

Why it should be thus all the day long?

While there are others living about us,

Never molested tho in the wrong.

“Faithful ‘till death,” said our loving Master.

A few more days to labor and wait,

Toils of the road will then seem as nothing,

As we sweep thru the beautiful gate.

When we see Jesus coming in glory,

When He comes from His home in the sky.

Then we shall meet Him in that bright mansion,

We'll understand it all by and by.

Farther along, we'll know all about it.

Farther along, we'll understand why,

Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine!

We'll understand it all by and by!

Jesse Randal Baxter Jr. | W. B. Stevens

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