Toffe Buzz and Hiccups

Sunday, June 18, 2006

Toffee buzz and hiccups (and heaven) I like these energy bars called "Clif bars". Tonight I was at work and in a bit of a crunch, not much time to eat a meal. So I grabbed this Clif bar called "Peanut Toffee Buzz" - that should have clued me in to pick another one. I don't really do caffeine, so of course I'm really sensitive to it. So even though I'm really tired, here I am... Then I got the hiccups. Man...But they're gone now. I have something I've been thinking about... The book of Hebrews talks about how Jesus endured the cross "for the joy set before Him" and gives several other examples of people who lived for God's glory in expectation of what was to come. That's what I've been praying for God to do in my heart, make Jesus my greatest treasure and make the hope of a heaven with Him and the joy of the wedding feast to be the thing that gives me joy today and strength to make it through whatever I face. Then I started thinking about life and how I live it. I think most people live life "for the joy set before them" - the question is, joy in what? Just think about it, what gets the average person through the day or month or year? Looking forward to the weekend, going out and partying. Looking forward to seeing your wife and kids at the end of the day. Looking forward to your summer vacation, or looking forward to reaching the top and retiring at age 52. Something has to motivate us, otherwise why would we put up with all the crap we face every day? I think that is what the apostle paul is getting at in Colossians 3 when he says to "set your mind on things above, not on earthly things." My mind is constantly looking to the horizon - "someday when I'm married...someday when I get this or that degree....someday when I'm a dad...someday when I have this or that job." Those things are all well and good. Certainly it's not wrong to have goals and desires to hope for. But the unavoidable call to "look up" and "look to heavens" and "set our sights on heaven" tells me that there's more to it. Instead of looking ahead to the horizon or just above the horizon, I need to look up to the sky and see the wonder and Glory of God. If being in heaven with Jesus is what I look forward to more than anything else, then I WILL NEVER BE DISSAPOINTED! The Bible doesn't guarantee that I'll get married, or finish school, or have all the things that I dream of. If my hope is in any of those things then I will be dissapointed, for it's pretty certain all my dreams won't come true. But if heaven is my hope, home, and treasure, then that changes everything. Then I'm in the right mind to endure suffering and you give up possesions, health, family, dreams and plans because I have an everlasting abiding inheritance. That's how I want to live. I don't have a city to call home, I don't want 'treasure' here on earth. I want heavenly treasure. I want my heavenly home. I want my heavenly Father. Be alert! Be ready! You don't want to be asleep when the wedding starts!