Heaven

Singing is a Step of Faith

/ pastorpete51 / 1 Comment

Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the godly! Let Israel be glad in his Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!                      Psalm 149:1-2 ESV

Singing is more than music it is a step of faith. When we open our mouth to sing we both connect back to our first childlike step of faith and strain forward towards our heavenly goal.

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We cannot see what heaven will be like, but the accompaniment of heaven’s songs can draw us towards home. I am reminded of one dear elderly saint who was found passed out on the floor by her sister. The ambulance was called and Florence was taken to the hospital where after several days she regained her strength and returned home. Florence told us that while she was unconscious she began to hear the angels singing and felt them coming closer. She said that the song grew louder and louder but then suddenly it faded and then she opened her eyes and woke up. Since she had grown up in the Polish church I was interested to know if God would have His angels singing in her childhood language or in English. But Florence said it was in neither language rather in some heavenly tongue which was completely different from anything she knew! I have never forgotten Florence’s angels and their heavenly song. God has given us songs as wings to our faith. Just as faith without works is dead, faith without words is unborn. What mightier wings of faith can there be than the words of our worship in song?

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Heaven’s Treasure

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I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living    Psalms 27:13

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I dreamed I stood at heaven’s door

and heard its hinges creak

Around its frame a light shone out

As it opened for the King

“What have you brought?” He asked

“From your time on earth now through”

I didn’t know what I could say

I just had to tell the truth

So I talked about the mission’s trips

And how each day I prayed

And how I often read His word

And all the tithes I gave

When I finally stopped – He paused

And then He gently said

“Those were not from your truest heart

But just rituals instead”

“But the forgiveness you gave your parents

When divorce left you alone

And love you shared with strangers

When you opened up your home

And sorrowful repentant tears

And confessions in the night

Those are the things I treasure here

And are precious in my sight!”

 

No Sunset in Heaven

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As I was finishing my evening bike ride I was struck with the beauty of the sunset. The fleeting moments of the end of another day on our small corner of the earth are so awe inspiring that it leaves us speechless. And yet in Heaven with no more darkness or night there will be no more sunset. The face of Jesus who has perfectly been designing millions of sunsets with no two alike will be more.

That glimpse of sunset reminds us that one day it will be the last sunset and our time here is limited. And I was reminded of the song Wait a Little Longer.

One day may be all that we have to touch a heart, share a burden, dry a tear or feed the hungry. What a Heaven without sunset is like we can’t know but we can shine the love of Christ to someone before dark.