Read: John 14:1-14
One Sunday morning the pastor of a church was talking to the children during children’s time. The Pastor said, “If I sold my house and my car, had a big garage sale and gave all my money to the church, would that get me into heaven?” “NO!” the children all answered. “If I cleaned the church every day, mowed the yard, and kept everything neat and tidy, would that get me into heaven?” Again, the answer was, “NO!”
One Sunday morning the pastor of a church was talking to the children during children’s time. The Pastor said, “If I sold my house and my car, had a big garage sale and gave all my money to the church, would that get me into heaven?” “NO!” the children all answered. “If I cleaned the church every day, mowed the yard, and kept everything neat and tidy, would that get me into heaven?” Again, the answer was, “NO!”
“Well, then, if I was kind to animals and gave candy to all the children and loved my wife, would that get me into heaven?” He asked them again. Again, they all answered, “NO!” “Well,” he continued, “then how can I get into heaven?” A five-year-old boy shouted out, “YOU GOTTA BE DEAD.” Children always give us an interesting perspective on things don’t they?
In John 14 Jesus says that there is a special place prepared in heaven for those who believe in Jesus and make him the Lord of their life. In reality, this is our true home. The place believers will spend the rest of eternity after our life on this earth is completed. One of the better books I have read on heaven was written by Joni Eareckson Tada entitled “Heaven, Your Real Home.”
In that book Joni offers a refreshing, faith-filled glimpse of what the Bible promises is waiting for those who believe. She writes about it in a way that also allows us to see our lives here and now in a whole new light. I appreciate Joni’s perspective because she has lived her life in a wheel chair ever since a diving accident paralyzed her from the shoulders down during her teenage years.
Joni writes, “Heaven may be as near as next year or next week, so it makes good sense to spend some time here on earth thinking candid thoughts about that marvelous future reserved for us.” I encourage you to read John 14 this week to see what Jesus says about heaven and then read Joni’s book about your real home.
Make it Personal: Here is what the cover flap of Joni’s book says, “Far from viewing heaven as an escape from reality, Joni paints a picture of heaven as the home of our hearts, the place where we will find the fulfillments of our longings, and a reality that is more substantial and lasting than anything we’ll ever find here on earth. She encourages us to set our sights not on the passing things of earth, but on heaven where our deepest and most noble desires will be realized.”
Have a blessed week, Pastor Glen Rhodes
