Turn On The Light

Are you ready? Because it’s confession time!

I’m really excited about heaven!

I’ve been keeping this quiet because some of my close friends have indicated that they are uncomfortable with my talking about heaven. It seems that they think it will make me give up on life…and stop praying for healing. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Talking about heaven makes me want to live life even more fully. I believe that looking at my life in light of heaven has helped me know what’s important here on earth.

During the first few months after my ALS diagnosis I had 4-5 people tell me, “Oh, you need to read Randy Alcorn’s book Heaven.” I had finally decided that I needed to go buy it when our friends Ralph and Harriet sent me their copy. They had just finished reading it and had been blessed so much that they wanted to pass it on to us. The same week J.R. and Sue gave us Randy Alcorn’s devotional readings about Heaven, a spin-off of the main book. Then I was faced with a dilemma—which to read first. Finally, I decided to start with the long one, the theological treatise. Reading it took months, but I read a little bit each evening and it filled my dreams with sweet imaginations about Heaven, the New Heaven, and the New Earth.

The part that surprised me most was the part about the New Earth. I had never really thought much about that before. Evidently after Christ comes back, and the judgment takes place, and Satan is banished to Hell, and it’s "the end of the age," then it’s time to enjoy the New Earth. Alcorn says it's inherent that we love earth and don’t want to leave it. God created us to love earth and he’s going to fulfill that longing by giving us a new redeemed earth. The New Earth will be the way God had intended it to be in the first place…with no death…no disappointment…no broken relationships…no treachery…no disease…no deception…no jealousy...and no pain! It’s hard for us to imagine an earth like that, because our world is laced with brokenness. Alcorn believes that on the New Earth we’ll have jobs, and we’ll travel…he even believes that the cultures will still be intact. I hope he’s right because there are lots of places I wanted to visit and didn’t get to…Asia...Africa…South America…Australia...and others.

And what do we know about heaven? It’s certainly not the boring place some people imagine it to be. Think of your happiest moment here on earth…now magnify it! That’s a piece of the “rush” we’ll have there. Some things that we do know about heaven are…

We will be with God. (Rev. 21:3) I don’t think we can even imagine how great it’s going to be in his arms.

There will be no more sadness! (Rev. 21:4) Think how many times a day we’re sad about something…or disappointed. There will be no more tears. It’s hard to fathom, isn't it?

It’s beyond our imagination. (I Cor. 2:9) The Bible says our senses can’t even imagine how good it’s going to be. Wow!

It’s our real home! (Phil.3:20) We’re just travelers here, but we are “citizens” of heaven. Can you imagine how comfortable it will be to finally be home…for the first time. Like walking into your own home after a long vacation.

We won’t have these broken bodies anymore! (Phil. 3:21) No more sickness, no dread of the next lab report, or MRI, or treatment…

Wow! That means that my body will be able to walk without assistance (even run, skip, and maybe even do some cheerleading jumps again--smile). I’ll be able to speak again (oh, I can speak now, but nobody can understand me—smile). I’ll be able to sing (maybe even better than I could on earth—smile). And I’ll be able to eat pizza again (I’m pretty sure that will be my first meal in heaven--smile).

Okay, I’m a patient person, and I’m ready to take things in God’s good timing, so if I’m healed and need to wait 30 years to go to heaven...that’s perfectly fine with me. I will be delighted!

But if it's God's plan that I go to heaven sooner…why not? Whenever it’s my time, I’m ready…and curious…and excited!

You know? Many of us walk through this life on earth as if this is all there is. So we work overtime to have nicer houses, or more clothes, or more stylish furniture—forgetting that all of that stuff will be left here. None of it goes with us.

But when we turn on the light of eternity, we can see what part of earth is illuminated….only those things that will last forever. No stuff! Just relationships! Our relationship with God, first of all, then the relationships with others as we have influenced them to love God and choose to spend eternity with him.

But here’s my question: Why do we have to be near death to talk and think about heaven? Shouldn’t we be talking about it every day? Wouldn’t it help keep things here on earth in perspective? Wouldn’t it help us make wiser choices about how we’re spending our energies? I think so.

I think our worlds would flip upside down if we just stopped and honestly asked ourselves this question: “How much of my time do I spend each day on eternal things?”

If you’re reading this and you’re not sure if you’re on your way to heaven, what better time than now to make that decision? That’s the most important choice of your life…to receive Christ as your personal Savior and allow him to totally reshape your priorities.

I’ve decided! I’m not going to hide my excitement any longer. Heaven is the best thing any of us have going! I think we need to let the anticipation for it grow…and grab our hearts!

I finished the book Heaven several months ago, then read some other things in the mean time, but this week Jim and I launched into the devotional book: Fifty Days of Heaven: Reflections That Bring Eternity to Light. And all of those feelings I had earlier are coming back! I can barely contain the excitement!

I want to invite you—no urge you—to buy the book and read it with us. Just click on this link to order it at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/50-Days-Heaven-Reflections-Eternity/dp/1414309767/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1228746694&sr=1-5

Why not make it a Christmas gift to yourself? You might also want to order it as a gift for some of your friends. It might be the best gift you’ve ever given or received.

It’s my prayer that these readings will help us all Turn On The Light.

mm

P.S. I think God gives little glimpses of heaven while still on earth. For grandmas these are often the times when family is all together. I had one of those moments Thanksgiving weekend as all of our kids and grandkids were under one roof. We had an early Christmas celebration and it was sweet. Don’t you love this photo where each kid is holding his/her initial? The kids' ages are: Reuben (5), Levi (4), Elliana (3), Micah (18 months), Jolene (13 months). (Yes, Micah was having a hard moment…smile.)

I feel blessed to have kids who understand the importance of living their lives in light of eternity. And...I was really amazed at how we could discuss my end-of-life issues so openly and gently. Important decisions were made in the loving context of family. I think this is how God meant it to be…and we all got a little glimpse of heaven.