11 September 2013 - head in the clouds

11 September 2013 - head in the clouds

Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!
Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. 

The earthly things which we suffer, hunger, sadness, hatred, and insults, are all preparing us heaven.  They teach us to seek and rely on the things which are above.

If you were raised with Christ, seek what is above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Keeping our eyes on heaven amidst the sufferings of this world gives us the strength to rid ourselves of the things to which we are too attached, which have become idols in our lives.

Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly:
immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire,
and the greed that is idolatry.

The danger in being filled, laughing, and being well liked, is that we won't have any need to lift our eyes to heaven.  The danger is that our treasure will be here on earth where moth and rust destroy instead of in heaven (cf. Mat 6:19).

The antidote is to realize that his kingdom is not just something which we experience at the end of our lives or at the end of time.

Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.

Because of the resurrection of Jesus the power of his kingdom his breaks through into this world.  It bridges the gap between our present sufferings and the joy of heaven.  It is why the paradox of the beatitudes ultimately has meaning.  Without the resurrection, those who weep now don't have anything to which to look forward.  But the power of the resurrection empowers our weeping, hunger, and the abuse we receive, to make it transformative.  Heaven breaks through even in the very midst of such pain.

Since our lift is hidden with Christ in God we need to live like it is true.  The old self still tries to rear its ugly head but it need not hold sway.  We "have put on the new self which is being renewed, for knowledge, in the image of its creator."  This is the reality from which we need to live our lives.

We want to join the psalmist and God's praise.  We want to know his glory and might so vividly that we can't help but rejoice.

Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.

But if we truly speak up for the LORD we know that some will denounce our names "as evil on account of the Son of Man."  Only the power of the resurrection in our lives will be sufficient at such times.  Realizing that the "Lord is compassionate toward all his works" we can endure with joy.

Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!
Behold, your reward will be great in heaven.