Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. Colossians 3:2-3 KJV
“Don’t be so heavenly minded that you are no earthly good!” is a phrase I have heard a lot. It is usually stated with a knowing grin as if to say, “You’ll come around and get a grip on reality one day.” But the older I get and the closer the realities of Heaven become, the more I realize that nothing on earth is more important or more real than Heaven. In fact, today’s verse tells us not to keep our eyes on earth but urges us to set our sights and affections on Heaven because that is where Jesus is.
One day, the flowers in our gardens will die, the mementos in our China hutches will sit on a shelf in a thrift shop and the savings in our bank accounts will be spent. But the things of heaven, like the love of God for a neighbor, the joy of having sins forgiven and the peace that comes from knowing God will never grow old. One day we will close our eyes on earth and open them to see Jesus. A moment will come when we draw our last breath on earth and our first in heaven. When all is said and done, no one will do more good on earth than someone who is always Heavenly minded. May our highest goal be to sing all the verses God gives us to our song on earth, so that one day we can finish the chorus with the angels at the feet of our Heavenly Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. Philippians 1:23 ESV
I used to visit an elderly couple, who were physically no longer able to come to the church services. I would bring my guitar so that we could sing together, and we always laughed when their two parakeets decided to join in. While on the slower hymns they would cheep and dance a bit on their perch, when we sang the hymn, “I’ll Fly Away”, they often got so excited that on the days when the cage door was left open, they flew right out and up onto a high shelf, where they joyfully tweeted with all their might!
That memory from years ago came back to me yesterday with the passing of yet another dear friend into the presence of Jesus. It reminded me that while we are here on earth, we are in a body that like the bird cage is not our permanent home. We can sing and praise the Lord the best we can from our low perch, but at the time that God chooses we have an appointment to keep with Jesus. Because of His death and resurrection, our cage door has been opened and when we hear His voice we will spread our own wings and fly up and away. There He has prepared a high and heavenly new perch from which we be able to sing a hymn of praise forever – on that highest ground of all!
Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 2 Corinthians 5:6 KJV
Just a few weeks ago I spent part of an afternoon with my 92 year old friend Evelyn. Since her daughter and son-in-law had left that morning on the way to the Ark Encounter and her son wasn’t coming until late afternoon, she was spending most of the day alone. So I packed up my guitar, a bit of apple cake I had made the night before and came by to keep her company for a while. At first I mostly listened as Evelyn talked to me about growing up in the 1930’s-40’s and then about her late husband who had been in the church choir as well as tidbits of family history. Finally as she was winding down, I mentioned that I had my guitar out in the car and if she would like I would bring it in so I could sing her a few of her favorite hymns. “Oh I don’t think so.” she said firmly.
“Well then I’ll still need to bring it in.” I answered politely. “The heat in the car will damage the wood.” I explained.
“”Oh if you’re going to bring it inside anyway, then go ahead and play me a few songs.” Evelyn told me. “But I can’t sing.” she added as I headed out the door. So I came in with my instrument and began warming up with, “Just a Closer Walk With Thee.” She nodded and smiled but continued a silent audience, so I encouraged her by saying, “You know even if you don’t think you can sing anymore, God is listening to your heart singing. He doesn’t care what anyone thinks it sounds like.” Then, I continued with several other hymns, until finally I began the first verse of “How Great Thou Art.” My habit while I sing the chorus of that song, is to close my eyes and imagine God surrounded by mighty angels and crowds of worshipping saints. What a thrill went through me as I opened my eyes between verses and noticed Evelyn singing along, this time with both her heart and lips!
On Mother’s Day Evelyn had a fall in her home. She wasn’t injured in the fall but because she was too weak to stand she was taken to the hospital and then admitted to the ICU. Of course our small group prayed for her to recover and at first it looked like our dear friend was rallying, but it was not to be. God had made other plans than we had and on this past Saturday Evelyn stepped from her frail body here on earth into heaven. This morning at Panera’s where I meet with a small men’s prayer group, I leaned from her son-in-law, that the last song Evelyn heard was my simple recording of When We All Get To Heaven. I don’t mention this to make it seem something special but to encourage you not to underestimate the small and simple things that God gives you an opportunity to do for others. You will never know how much the cup of cold water you give some one is needed and how fleeting your opportunity to give it. Below is the YouTube session the song she loved. I will bet dollars to donuts she is singing better than ever with all her heart right now in the presence of the Lord who listens to every song.
Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the souls you can, in every place you can, at all the times you can, with all the zeal you can, as long as ever you can.John Wesley
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