When I was around seven years old my family decided to take a big family trip to Disney World. This was big news obviously. There was packing to be done, trips to Wal-Mart for sun screen, fanny packs, and t-shirts and general preparations.
The day came though that we loaded up the car and started from our home in Birmingham, Alabama to Orlando, Florida. Before we were on the highway I was ready to be out of the car and hugging Mickey. But, we had at least a seven hour drive ahead of us.
For a seven year old this might as well have been a form of Chinese water torture. At that point in my life seven hours was a pretty significant portion of my living experiences. I must have drove my parents crazy...are we there yet, are we there yet, are we there yet?
When we arrived my elation was heightened by the wait. For a seven year old this might as well have been heaven.
I wonder what I forgot though as an adult. When did I start desiring the appetizer more than dessert? Why am I so afraid of the destination?
Right now I'm literally doing everything I can to prolong my life and my families life. I'm borderline obsessed with my health, and believe it or not that's borderline unhealthy.
I can't imagine as a seven year old boy asking my parents to take the scenic route through the Okefenokee on our way to Orlando. I wanted to get to the destination, where the fun was, where Mickey was.
It makes me think maybe I don't understand or believe what heaven is going to be like. So I did a little searching.
In Psalm 16 it says: "in your presence there is fullness of joy, at your right hand there is pleasures forevermore." Sounds a lot better than the pain of this world. I don't think anyone would question the failings of our temporal world. Haiti, Phuket, Rwanda, cancer, AIDS, homelessness 2 miles from my house, divorce, broken promises, job loss-- the list could go on. Our joy isn't here.
Revelation continues the theme, "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." Sounds pretty good to me.
I personally like this one: "Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to like his glorious body." I'm pretty sure Jesus had a six pack. Ok maybe a little irreverent but I do have ulcers, my friends have cancer and right now I have a stuffy nose. I'm pretty sure that the body scripture is talking about here doesn't suffer those earthly ills.
Not sure if you've been to Disney World or not but if you have you may remember that there is this large arch on the main road as you leave the "real world" and enter the fantasy of Disney. It's maybe the pinnacle of excitement for a child. You've arrived. You're here, the rest of this place was made for you, by hand, by a maker that was excited for you.
John 14:2 says that God's "house" has many rooms and that Jesus left here to "prepare a place for us". I don't know if heaven will have gates or even a big sign that says "you're here" but I know that my joy will be "made full" when I arrive.
Until then I'm going to "hold it" as much as I can, try and enjoy the journey, with excitement towards the destination.
