Here I am. Back at my desk for some more study time. This morning has been beautiful and it's only 10:45.
::: waking up to summer sunshine
::: a crunchy bowl of grainy cereal. delicious.
::: dancing at the gym to 'footloose' and various other upbeat tunes
::: mailing a dear friend's shower invitations at the local post office
::: cutting zinnias from my momma's garden

It's been a fuscia kind of morning.

I've been thinking about something new. God keeps bringing this concept up in little ways. Have you ever thought about what our hope truly is as believers in Christ? I have peace that there is deep hope in the grace and power of Christ, but it is still a deep mystery to me. I find little if any peace in the old adage...Jesus is the only way. I'm not saying it's false, but what is this way that Jesus has figured out better than anyone? What is our hope as followers of Jesus? Where are we following Him?

Here is an exerpt from the book Surprised by hope that I've been reading.

We should recall in particular that the use of the word heaven to denote the ultimate goal of the redeemed, though of course hugely popularized by medieval and subsequent piety, is severely misleading and does not begin to do justice to the Christian hope. I am repeatedly frustrated by how hard it is to get this point through the thick wall of traditional thought and language that most Christians put up. The ultimate destination is not "going to heaven when you die" but being bodily raised into the transformed, glorious likeness of Jesus Christ. (The point of all this is not, of course, merely our own happy future, important though that is, but the glory of God was we come fully to reflect his image.) Thus, if we want to speak of "going to heaven when we die," we should be clear that this represents the first, and far less important, stage of a two-stage process. Resurrection isn't life after death; it is life after life after death.

Contrary to what many think, God isn't trying to get us to heaven. According to Scripture, eternity is spent here, on planet Earth. God's intent has always been to eventually come here to live in His creation. In the end, heaven actually comes to earth (Revelation 21). Yes, believers who die now go to heaven, but heaven is not the point. Earth is.

I thought it was good timing. This is the first pastor I've heard speak about this.....maybe ever. I knew it to be true, but I've just never heard someone speak about it......especially 2 days in a row!

Labels: color, earth, heaven, hope