Because of Heaven

Contributed by:
Staci Overbeck
ministry assistant

I love to write. There is just something in me that gets excited about turning thoughts into words and seeing them come to life on a page. In high school I took every English class offered, but my favorite, by far, was creative writing. In college, after trying my hand at a couple of different majors, I returned to what I knew and loved, English, with the hopes of someday using my degree to write. Lately my writing has been more in the form of e-mail, blogs and homework help, but I am a journalist at heart.

This weekend, Pastor Ron took a rather journalistic approach as he looked at the “who, what, when, how and why” of Heaven. Sharing scripture, he gave us a glimpse of what we can expect as we anticipate an eternity with God.

There has been a myriad of books and songs written about Heaven - some from a distinctly Christian perspective, some not so much. But, as believers it is important that we understand that Heaven is real. It is a promise for Christ-followers. And because of that promise, we have some truths that we can hold on to when we are weighed down with the concerns of this world. As Pastor Ron shared, because of the promise of Heaven:

• we know that there is more to this life.
• we know we can celebrate a life that is, not a life that was.
• we know that death does not have the final word.
• we know that we are never abandoned.
• we know that this life is not all that there is.

Because of the promise of Heaven, we can have a perspective that affects not only our future, but also our everyday lives. I don’t know about you, but I am excited about that. It is a glimpse of the never-ending story of God’s love, and I am thankful that the He has taken the time to write it down to help us see that Heaven is for real. Maybe God has the heart of a journalist too.

Things to think about this week:

1. Who do you most hope to see when you get to Heaven?
2. What do you think will be the most exciting part of Heaven for you?
3. When you think of Heaven, do you get excited? Why or why not?
4. How does your view of Heaven affect your perspective on life on Earth?