Don’t wait for heaven!

Pastor and prolific author, Max Lucado, in his book, “Applause from Heaven,” tells about flying home after having been gone for more than a week of speaking engagements.

He writes, “I know that my wife and our two daughters will be waiting at the airport for me. And as I walk down the long corridor and round the bend and into the terminal, I’ll see my wife and she’ll have a big smile on her face, and my two little girls will be there. Then my youngest daughter will begin to applaud because Daddy’s been gone and now Daddy’s come home.”

Then Lucado adds, “One of these days we’re going to walk down the long corridor through the pearly gates onto the streets of gold. We might see Paul over here and Peter over there and maybe Moses and Elijah. But finally we’re going to round the bend into the throne room of God, and there on the throne will be God the Father. And by His right side Jesus the Christ. Then we’ll hear the applause of heaven and begin to enjoy God, and God will begin to enjoy us for all eternity.”

What an amazing day that will be! A day any Christian will have thought about. In fact, it’s something the Bible encourages us to think about …

“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.” Colossians 3:1-4.

But among those thoughts is often a misguided thought, something like, “Once I get to heaven, then I will be able to know God and interact with Him!”

It’s a great thing to know there’s a day coming when we can be in the “literal” presence of God and enjoy that kind of fellowship with Him forever. BUT, God doesn’t want us to wait for heaven to get to know Him and to interact with Him! God wants a Father/child relationship with us now, during this lifetime.

God already knows us perfectly. King David wrote of this intimate knowledge this way …

“O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!” Psalm 139:1-6.

God knows us and longs to interact with us, but do you know Him and respond to Him?

We can get to know Him by delving deeply into the Bible, for He reveals Himself to us in the pages of scripture. We can talk to Him in prayer, and His Holy Spirit can guide us. We CAN walk each day with God — right now, in this life — and not have to wait for heaven to know Him, love Him, be loved by Him, and commune with Him.

The Apostle Paul passionately wanted to know Christ now, and to make his life entirely about the pursuit of a relationship with Jesus in this life that would some day be crowned with an eternal life of being with Christ …

“I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!” Philippians 3:10-11.

When Paul entered the presence of God at the end of His life, he came into the presence of a Lord and Savior that he already knew intimately. God was not a stranger to him!

And God doesn’t want to be a stranger to us now.

And this is the way to have eternal life — to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. – John 17:3

The Apostle Peter saw knowing God now as a vital need for Christians: “Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” 2 Peter 3:18.

Are you consciously and purposely seeking to know God now? Or are you waiting for heaven to meet a divine stranger? Could you describe God to others from a personal knowledge as God being someone you know and interact with on a daily basis?

Don’t wait for heaven!

Scotty