Pick Out Your Party Hat
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Isaiah 25:6-8
6. On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of fat things, a feast of wine on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wine on the lees well refined. 7. And he will destroy on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. 8. He will swallow up death for ever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth; for the Lord has spoken.
2 Corinthians 5:1-9
1. For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2. Here indeed we groan, and long to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3. so that by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4. For while we are still in this tent, we sigh with anxiety; not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6. So we are always of good courage; we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7. for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8. We are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.
Paul refers to our human bodies as a tent and heaven as a dwelling—a permanent structure. And yet, what we do while in our temporary human form is important! Because what we do with our lives, during our lives, determines whether or not we will end up at the great feast of “fat things” in our heavenly dwelling place. Everything we do takes us one step closer or one step farther away from eternity with God.
Heaven isn’t held out to us like a carrot on the end of a stick! God doesn’t try to “bribe” us! He doesn’t “need” us to go to heaven with him. But he longs to throw a party! And he wants us to be his guests of honor! Each of us, individually. He wants you to have the craziest party hat of all! And he wants me to have the prettiest one! He “sighs” with anticipation at the thought of us spending eternity with him!
What was the happiest day of your life? Your wedding? The birth of a child? A surprise birthday party? Or an unexpectedly blissful day out of the blue—nothing exciting or spectacular, just everything went your way and you felt as if the whole world was spread out at your feet? What’s the best thing that ever happened to you? What’s the best gift you ever received? That’s how excitedly and longingly God anticipates our arrival!
No, life here on earth is not perfect. It never will be – not too many of those blissfully wonderful days to enjoy. More often, we have countless days through which we endure “life as we know it.” And it’s not usually anywhere close to a party! But Paul assures us that it will be worth the wait! It will be worth whatever you have to do in this life; whatever you endure. Remember, we’re striving for heaven. And Jesus, through his willing submission to God’s will, proved to us once and for all, that even crucifixion was “worth it.” Because after death, all the pain and sadness of this world would fade away. We will become new creatures! We will become “like God.”
We will be with Him throughout all eternity. All our questions will seem insignificant. All our doubts and fears will vanish. Our true selves will be realized – fully and completely and perfectly. Exactly as God planned eons ago, before he made the stars and the sun and the earth. That’s why we try so hard to be the best person we can be. That’s why we do what’s right, even when it’s hard. That’s why we live by a higher standard than “the world.” Cause it will be worth it!
I hope today you “sigh with anxiety” at the thought of achieving perfection in heaven some day. And that you start thinking about what color of party hat you want to wear when you get there!
Mary
