Keep The Tension

You are built for heaven, but your assignments from God are here on earth!

 

For to me, living means opportunities for Christ, and dying—well,

that’s better yet!” Philippians 1:21 TLB 

If I were to gather 100 Christians and ask them to raise their hand if they want to go to heaven, every hand would be raised. However, if my second question asked them to put their hand up if they’d like to go to heaven today… then the muddled, confused looks begin to appear and there’s a real hesitancy in putting their hand back up.

The problem is that we have dual citizenship. We belong here, but in heaven as well.

This dilemma doesn’t build early in life. We think of heaven initially with relief knowing that someday we’ll be going there, but the pull isn’t usually too strong. Yet as we begin moving through the decades of our lives, we begin to change.

We begin seeing ‘people our own age’ begin going there. Then it’s grandparents and eventually parents. Soon there’s a real draw towards heaven; we have loved waiting for us. Add to this, difficulties in health, a sometimes Godless culture and too many disappointments on top of each other, and heaven begins to look a lot more welcoming.

I’m not inviting any of you to join the “Let’s All Go To Heaven Right Now” club, but I do have some questions for you.

  1. Do you believe God has specific plans for your life – that He has you here for a specific purpose? Are you OK with this? Are you looking for that assignment?
  2. Are you afraid to be taken while you still have your song in you?
  3. How close are you to the Apostle Paul’s assessment above… living to fulfill God’s plan, but longing for entrance into heaven’s surprises.
  4. Are you willing to live with the tension of needing to ‘stay at the stuff’ while awaiting what’s awaiting?

The pull toward heaven is built into us. Pay attention to it and think about it often, but don’t become so heavenly minded that you become no earthly good. God’s not asking you to walk into walls while you consider heaven. Finish your tasks with joy and patience and daily ask yourself this important question:

FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE, WHAT ON EARTH AM I DOING?

 

Previous ‘keeps’: 1. God’s Keeping  2. Keep Obeying  3. Keep Your Mouth Shut and Your Eyes Open  4. Keep Being Useful  5. Keep Being Different  6. Keep the Tension

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