Touching Heaven, Changing Earth
Those are the words of a song we are going to sing at our church during worship tomorrow morning. We've sung it many times over the past several years. I think it means more to me now than ever. No, I haven't gotten another life altering diagnosis. But I've been thinking a lot today.
This afternoon I watched part of Greg Laurie's (pastor of Harvest Fellowship in CA) 2009 Harvest Crusade. My heart was so touched at watching hundreds of people come forward after hearing the gospel and responding to it by placing their faith in Jesus Christ. I even cried.
As I was sitting there getting all choked up it reminded me of my dad. He always used to get teary eyed when watching something wholesome on tv or listening to a great gospel message. It occurred to me that back when I was younger, and even not so much younger, it kind of made me uncomfortable to see my dad get so emotional about the gospel. Admittedly, there were times when I was feeling the same way he was but I realize now so much more what he was feeling back then.
My dad is in heaven now and though I miss him being a part of my earthly life I am thrilled for him to be at Jesus' side healthy and whole. Since his death, I was diagnosed with a very deadly cancer and was not given much hope at the outset that I would survive it. I did, but it gave me a new outlook on dying and heaven and how much I want to know that my family and friends will be there with me.
This past year I've been leading a Bible study on Heaven, a book written by Randy Alcorn. I've also sung at more funerals in the past year than I think I have previously in all of my life. Now, you might be thinking, 'she is just becoming middle aged and thinking about her own mortality'. You would be right about that in one sense. But deep down I'm starting to understand my dad's urgency to have all of his loved ones near him for all of eternity.
Two weeks ago at our church we watched a video of a young man preaching to those who are "church people" who are going to hell because they never truly repented and turned away from sin. Not just big sin like murder and adultery but whatever little pet sins we have like something as simple as tolerating filth in movies and television. My dad had firm opinions about that as well. If one "bad"word was said the show was turned off. I used to be embarrassed by that to some degree.
But as I have struggled to mature in my faith the past several years I'm seeing a change in my heart. I guess it is spiritual maturity although I have a LONG LONG way to go. The more I get to know Jesus the more things that hurt Him hurt me. And so, the more I see the world spinning out of control and what I believe is closer to Christ's return, the more I feel an urgency to KNOW, really KNOW that my loved ones will all get to share in that glorious Heaven with me. And it is SO much more than I ever dreamed it would be. I told my Bible study group that as a kid, who lost a young friend to death, I thought Heaven would be nice because at Dairy Queen you would never have to pay for ice cream.
Studying about Heaven (and it is mentioned ALL throughout the Bible, not just in Revelation) I'm seeing Heaven everywhere. I'm hearing it in every new song I listen to and seeing it in books I read.
Life here is so short and eternity is FOREVER. Please take a hard look at your life and make sure that you have made things right with God. He made them right with you through Jesus and all you have to do is decide to take it. Not because I did or my dad did. But because you need it just like everyone else who has ever lived.
Love you!
This afternoon I watched part of Greg Laurie's (pastor of Harvest Fellowship in CA) 2009 Harvest Crusade. My heart was so touched at watching hundreds of people come forward after hearing the gospel and responding to it by placing their faith in Jesus Christ. I even cried.
As I was sitting there getting all choked up it reminded me of my dad. He always used to get teary eyed when watching something wholesome on tv or listening to a great gospel message. It occurred to me that back when I was younger, and even not so much younger, it kind of made me uncomfortable to see my dad get so emotional about the gospel. Admittedly, there were times when I was feeling the same way he was but I realize now so much more what he was feeling back then.
My dad is in heaven now and though I miss him being a part of my earthly life I am thrilled for him to be at Jesus' side healthy and whole. Since his death, I was diagnosed with a very deadly cancer and was not given much hope at the outset that I would survive it. I did, but it gave me a new outlook on dying and heaven and how much I want to know that my family and friends will be there with me.
This past year I've been leading a Bible study on Heaven, a book written by Randy Alcorn. I've also sung at more funerals in the past year than I think I have previously in all of my life. Now, you might be thinking, 'she is just becoming middle aged and thinking about her own mortality'. You would be right about that in one sense. But deep down I'm starting to understand my dad's urgency to have all of his loved ones near him for all of eternity.
Two weeks ago at our church we watched a video of a young man preaching to those who are "church people" who are going to hell because they never truly repented and turned away from sin. Not just big sin like murder and adultery but whatever little pet sins we have like something as simple as tolerating filth in movies and television. My dad had firm opinions about that as well. If one "bad"word was said the show was turned off. I used to be embarrassed by that to some degree.
But as I have struggled to mature in my faith the past several years I'm seeing a change in my heart. I guess it is spiritual maturity although I have a LONG LONG way to go. The more I get to know Jesus the more things that hurt Him hurt me. And so, the more I see the world spinning out of control and what I believe is closer to Christ's return, the more I feel an urgency to KNOW, really KNOW that my loved ones will all get to share in that glorious Heaven with me. And it is SO much more than I ever dreamed it would be. I told my Bible study group that as a kid, who lost a young friend to death, I thought Heaven would be nice because at Dairy Queen you would never have to pay for ice cream.
Studying about Heaven (and it is mentioned ALL throughout the Bible, not just in Revelation) I'm seeing Heaven everywhere. I'm hearing it in every new song I listen to and seeing it in books I read.
Life here is so short and eternity is FOREVER. Please take a hard look at your life and make sure that you have made things right with God. He made them right with you through Jesus and all you have to do is decide to take it. Not because I did or my dad did. But because you need it just like everyone else who has ever lived.
Love you!
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