You get up early, after staying up late, and you drive to a job that is much the same today as it was the day before. You [trudge] through traffic, rush through the work day, and attempt to soak up the quickly passing afternoon hours in between. You look forward to the weekend that goes by far too fast, and you do it day in and day out. Countdown to vacation. T minus 89.
You work long hours and long days for the things you can look forward to, like a cruise, the kid’s birthday bash, Christmas, and one day, retirement. You get through the muck to get to the luck. You trudge through the mundane to get to the merry. You hurry through today to get to tomorrow. Such is life.
Colicky babies will surely grow out of it. The terrible twos shall soon pass. One day the needy child will be able to do for themselves. Messy teens will move on. This hard phase of life will get better. You just have to get past it.
You daydream for better days. You beg the clock to hurry. Christians cry out to the Lord, “Come quickly! Save me from this strife!”
Believers look fondly forward to a place of no more pain. This is understandable. After all, who doesn’t long to look onto loved ones who have gone before us? Don’t we all yearn for a life without disease, hardship, and most importantly, hate? Yes. Of course. But what do we miss on our journey to Heaven? As a Christian, it is your final destination. My only question would be, do you enjoy the ride?
In everyday life, we anticipate what’s next. It’s The American Way. We drive right past the breathtaking sunrise on our way to a workday we’re whittling past for a weekend that won’t go slow enough. In this world, we do have trouble, and I wish it wasn’t so. But we also have wonderful.
In the hectic life of a busy mother, a baby smiles their very first smile. There will never be a very first smile again. Did she miss it?
An 8-year-old boy will ask his dad to play catch on a windy, autumn afternoon. In a rush to get homework done and the leaves raked before the upcoming Saturday barbecue, the moment will pass. No one will even realize it’s gone.
The chance to stop for a stranded motorist, to hug a friend in need, to pray for a brother contemplating suicide. It will pass.
The opportunity to hold hands with your spouse, marvel at the musical laughter of your grandchild, or watch a mother robin feed her offspring a morning meal. It will pass.
We yearn for Heaven. We yearn for a life more blessed than the one we currently struggle through. We yearn for peace, and a love that knows no bounds to fill us to overflowing; a love that will take away pain, anxiety, and that turmoil we struggle with almost every single day. There’s no fault found in desiring these things. God made us empty, to be filled with Him. A life where everyone could be filled with God’s healing, peace, and joy; oh, what a day that will be!
Matthew 6:10 (NLT) “May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”
I think there’s just one thing we are missing in our yearning for Heaven, in our anticipation every day for the next, better thing.
God. Is. In. Us.
We are seated in Heavenly places with Christ, through Christ, for Christ.
We are here on earth to live our lives to the fullest because of Jesus in us. We are to shine the light of the Lord, and preach the gospel of how Christ changes things. And the easiest way to proclaim that truth is by living a life of exceeding joy in all things. Not just the very good things, or the very easy things, but in all things. And as we exude the joy of the Lord in the everyday mundane our eyes are opened to more of Him, more of Him right here on earth, as it is in Heaven.
We haven’t finished the race yet. We all know this. But I don’t believe it has to be a race in vain. I don’t think we have to run blindly, just hoping the finish line is around the next corner. I think the Lord would have us to rejoice in suffering, see His hand along the track of life, and lead us to a closer walk with Him as we go. We weren’t meant for a fallen world such as this. We’ll never be totally at peace here, but we can obtain a joy-filled, abundantly-blessed life while we are here, by resting in the fact that God is in us. We will not fail.
We can open our eyes, slow down, and enjoy each moment, each breath, each encounter as the gift it is, and also the learning and growing experience it is meant to be. In this world, there will be trouble, but He has overcome the world. We can walk each day victoriously for the battle has already been won. We can stop running so fruitlessly past the gifts offered today. We can understand that each and every moment can be used for the glory of God. They’re not wasted, waiting time until eternity. We can see our interactions with coworkers or the people we serve on the job as a chance to do God’s will. Why would we trudge through or resent that?
In our ability to slow down, seize moments, utilize the everyday, and appreciate the little things (that we typically ignore in our race for tomorrow), we can bring God’s glory here now. We can increase the harvest. Yes, Heaven is where we long to be, where we are meant to be, but the Lord created Heaven and Earth for our pleasure. Jesus has empowered us to bring Heaven to earth. He longs for His children to enjoy life through Him today, tomorrow, and forever. Don’t just yearn for what’s next, but rather enjoy what He is doing now. It’s the precursor to the divine.
