This Is Not Heaven

 On a phone conversation a man reminded me of something his father told him. His dad said, "Son, remember this is not heaven. We are going to have trials on this earth." His dad suffered with Parkinson's disease. His dad was right. We all have troubles in this life. 

I am sure you have your own trials. They come in various shapes and sizes. Some of them knock us to our knees with severe blows like cancer, Alzheimer's, the economy, and relational troubles. You barely get through one trial and soon after the next one hits. This is common to the human condition. Sin, suffering, and sorrow are all part of the curse from original sin. It seems like it is only getting worse. 

Beware of putting your hope in vain things. Like a presidential election. No candidate is a savior. That title is reserved exclusively for the Lord Jesus Christ the Savior or the world. Financial security is chasing shadows. So is trying to secure material things. Nothing on this earth will ever produce the long sought after contentment we long for. No matter our stage in life, trials will still come. Our hope is not in an easier stress free path. Our hope is in God alone no matter what we face. 

This world is not Heaven. It is a sin infested polluted planet of depraved and defiled people who oppose God by and large. Trials come for everyone. The just and the unjust. The righteous and the wicked all face challenges and setbacks. The closest this earth was ever to Heaven was back in Eden. Since the bite of the forbidden fruit, it has been a downhill slide. 

We would do well to remember that life will be filled with trials. I am not suggesting there will not be days of triumph mixed in as well. The fact remains, none of us is going to live a trouble-free existence. What we can do is walk keeping our eyes on Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith. [Heb 12:2] We can rest assured that He will strengthen us, grant us peace, and help us persevere through those trials. 

One day we will kiss these earthly shells and this earthly life goodbye. Believers in Jesus will shed mortality in exchange for immorality. One day we will get home to Heaven. No more pain or death there. No more sorrows. Every tear will be wiped away. [Rev 21:3-4] It will be endless rejoicing and delight in God's presence. Worship will be wonderful. Authentic. Endless worship for all eternity to the Father and to the Lamb of God slain and resurrected. [Rev 4:1-11]

We only get to Heaven through repentance and faith in the substitutionary atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. [I Jn 2:1-2] It is by His grace and through the shedding of His blood we are saved. [Eph 2:8-9] For those who have believed Heaven awaits. What a day of rejoicing that will be when we get there. There might be some tough sledding between now and then. Let us run our race with endurance until we cross the finish line. [Heb 12:1]