KEEP HEAVEN IN VIEW
KEEP HEAVEN IN VIEW
A few years ago while talking with a friend I expressed concern about how the world was slowly but surely getting worse. And so I said, let Jesus come now, enough already! How much more evil, injustice, decadence and immorality can we possibly take? And she said “Jesus should not come yet o! I am not married and I have not had my own children. And I must do these things before He comes.” There is nothing wrong with feeling that way and I do not know how many of us feel likewise; that there is still so much we want to do, or accomplish or even acquire before the Lord returns to take us home. But remember that He will come unannounced. Regardless of what we have or have not yet done.
When we were younger and in boarding school, we usually felt homesick and longed for opportunities to go home, like half term and end of term holidays. We knew that being in school and living in the dormitories was just for a while. We were not going to be there forever. We were just passing through. And so towards the close of term we would plan how we were going to spend our holidays, making lists of and exchanging addresses with class mates we would be visiting, we even planned or thought about the first meal we would eat on arriving home. On the last day of term we would all be very excited as we waited for someone from home to pick us up for the holidays. It suddenly dawned on me that this is similar to our time here on earth. We are strangers and are just passing through. This is not our home. We are not going to be here forever. But do we take any thought for where we are going? Do we make any plans? Do we get excited about going home one day? “Dear brothers, you are only visitors here. Since your real home is in heaven, I beg you to keep away from the evil pleasures of this world; they are not for you, for they fight against your very souls.” 1 Peter 2:11 The Living Bible
Since it is the case that we are just visitors on earth, do we spare thoughts for the time when we will be face to face with Jesus our Saviour? I do not mean to sound morbid but this kind of sober reflection is actually very important. Or are we so consumed by what we are still chasing after and all that glitters down here? This is not to say that we should ignore what is going on in the world around us. Certainly not! Remember we are called to be salt and light here on earth and not in heaven. We are also called to raise Godly offspring and asked to let our light shine before men. So while we are still around let us focus on being and doing those.
While thinking about all these things, I remembered a song by Kirk Franklin titled “When” from his 2015 album “Losing my Religion”. This song is very deep. I urge you please to listen to it. It is just five minutes. The rhythm and melody are great. Vocal arrangement is wow! But the lyrics are awesome. There is a question being asked in the song “When will you come for your daughters and sons?”
Recently a cleric from Northern Nigeria was gruesomely murdered. And he is just one of so many. Are these goings on not enough to cause us to ask when Jesus will come?
I encourage us today to live responsibly like people who fear God. For after all “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10 KJV King Solomon was a very wise man and he advised: “Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. After all, everyone dies— so the living should take this to heart. A wise person thinks a lot about death, while a fool thinks only about having a good time.” Ecclesiastes 7: 2 & 4 NLT There is nothing wrong with having a good time but if that is the only reason we think we are here,then let us wise up now. “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” Colossians 3:2 KJV Heaven should be our focus. We should not lose sight of it.
KEEP HEAVEN IN VIEW, IT IS OUR HOME.
OLUYINKA EGO-MARTINS ©