But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared for them a city. Hebrews 11:16
Do you really realize that this world is not your home? Has that reality yet slammed into your brain? Do you know there is nothing material here that you can take with you when you die? Money, property, material wealth, digital assets, are worth NOTHING in His heavenly Kingdom. And where is the majority of your existence going to be? How long is eternity? What here on earth actually has eternal value? I can only think of one thing. Relationships. Who will you be meeting with in heaven? What friends and family will be there with you? Where is your heart? Is it in this earthly world with all of its trappings? Or is it in the eternal relationships of God’s family that currently surrounds you? What do you invest in? What do you think about? Things? Or relationships?
I learned yesterday the list of all those who have already died from my senior high school class. It was sobering. It was a good reminder of what really is important. I’m now at that age where I’m noticing many my age and even those younger than I am… are now dying. Are they in heaven? That’s not my position to say, I learned long ago not to try to sit on His Throne … and judge the fate of people’s souls. I’m definitely NOT qualified for that responsibility. I only know One who is. Knowing the extremely sobering fact that life can end VERY quickly, and in a moment … my concern is rightly focused on who is facing that reality and Who they actually know. DO you know Jesus so intimately that you share Him at EVERY opportunity given to you? How real is heaven to you? How often do you think of your ‘real’ home? How do you know when it will be the very last time you get to talk to someone? How precious is that conversation? How valuable are your words to them? Ponder that.
Should we be more gracious with our words to people? Should our attitude always be one of gratefulness, humility, and sobering repentance as we understand more and more of the weightiness of the ‘time’ we actually have left? How much time do you have left? So… I leave you telling the Truth of this reality…
I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:50-58
So be ready at ANY moment … to put on the ‘imperishable’ and “immortality’ and walk with Him in His Kingdom.
HE (Jesus) is our Goal!