Song Series: No Better Place

No Better Place
Living here today as if we're gone tomorrow

Read: 2 Corinthians 4: 16-18


while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal
– 2 Corinthians 4:18

I haven’t known many heavenly minded people.

Frankly, most of the Christians I’ve met over the years are a lot like me. We believe in God the Father and His Son, Jesus. We believe in the Holy Spirit and His work in our lives. We believe in heaven and hell, and we even believe that prayer changes things...um, sometimes. We’re considered good citizens and most people would like to have us as neighbors. We’re not unreasonably pious or prejudice and we’re quick to give a hand up, as well as, a hand out. All in all, I’d say we’re not that bad, really. Of course, we’re not that Christ-like, really, either.

From what I can tell, and I readily affirm that I could be way off base here, most of us like the thought of being Christian more than the action. It’s almost as if we think that our wanting to live with Jesus counts as actually living with Him. I think part of the problem is we’re so connected to the stuff around us that it makes it really hard to see past the temporal to the eternal.

Paul reminds us that God is a living personal presence. Get this; He is personally present with the guy or gal who’s eyes have been opened by Him to believe in His Son, Jesus (John 6:44) (2 Cor. 3: 16-18). Therefore, the believer actually lives in His presence every moment of every day. I think we just kind of forget this fact after a while of living here on earth. It’s like the eternal slowly gets overshadowed by the temporal. May-be one good way to regain a heavenly frame of mind is to practice walking with Jesus in the little things that make up the mundain moments of our day.

I like to read a little book from time to time called, “The Practice of the Presence of God” by Brother Lawrence. It’s an old classic, but this guy seemed to have the whole “walking with Jesus daily” thing down. If it is indeed a true account of Lawrence’s life, I’ve never met anyone like him (ever). He was so “in the moment” with Christ that something simple like peeling potatoes took on a whole new perspective!

I believe, like the Chapman song says, that “there’s no better place on earth than the road that leads to heaven”. I guess I just need help from time to time remembering that being heavenly minded means living here on earth as if I’m already there.

Here’s a link to the book “The Practice of the Presence of God” http://www.practicegodspresence.com/brotherlawrence/practicegodspresence09.html

Here’s a link to the song “No Better Place” by Steven Curtis Chapman http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8XUGtGBrAM