What If I Became...

The subject of Israel's first king was our subject today in the Bible study, and that does make for an interesting discussion. As I asked Mike, imagine that you are going about your business today and suddenly the leading religious figure of the day, pick whichever you like, meets you at work and anoints you as king of America. Yikes! Now what do I do? At first we might think it a great honor, but later with a bit of time to reflect, suddenly the crushing responsibility settles down on our happiness like the proverbial ton of bricks. Of course, you would at least get to straighten out Congress, and probably have a bit of fun and satisfaction in the doing of it. Always there is a bit of fantasy in being something we are not today.

I think everyone grew up with some sort of fantasy. King, president, governor, actor/actress, sports icon, world's smartest garbage man, something that seemed very unlikely at the time, but with a bit of luck and wishing you could achieve in this lifetime. However, as time passed the currents of living took us often in directions far away from that fantasy. Those of us who wished for fame back in the fantasy days, may now be glad that we are safely anonymous except for our friends and family. Others may still be churning and burning inside wondering why that fantasy seems farther away now than it ever was. To some acceptance of our lot in life may be a sign of defeat, others may be perfectly happy they didn't become president of the nation right now. (Amen to that!) Once we gain some information on the end result of our former fantasy and experience a bit of life, we might very well flee from what we once thought looked so desirable. This may help us learn to be content right here, wherever we are today.

Then we come to Heaven. We know so little about it, but the Bible gives us more than we probably realize. This is perhaps our ultimate fantasy, to create that position or condition that is a bit of Heaven right here on Earth. The real place called Heaven seems so distant and unclear. What if I became this or that right here or better still over there in that other place? Of course, the fantasy usually involves some big change in 'me' so that the problems that have dogged me through this life or the accumulation of scars from this journey are left behind. Hey, that is the very place Jesus will bring us to if we can trust Him for the remainder of the journey.

A cleansed heart, a resurrected body without flaw, our tears wiped away by God Himself, and a marvelous and wonderful new place with Christ as King of kings is what we have in store. This life is a trial, but it is the short introduction to an eternity of joy and everlasting love. If we boiled all of our fantasies down to the pure essence, we would find our expectations of Heaven, and they would come up short of the reality. Patience, peace, and contentment are given to us now. Not only to realize the love of God here and now, but to help us endure this tough journey to our eternal home. Trust God to get us there.

Bucky