PURPOSED FOR HEAVEN

.
The final discourse of Christ in the hours prior to His crucifixion, is the intimate instilling of all which the Apostles must know to sustain Christ’s mission. Remember, the Twelve had not long known Jesus, yet they became His intimate family. Could they know how much their lives would change by following Jesus? The Twelve had to understand, “The time of My departure has come” (II Timothy 4:6). How could He make them understand?

Quite intriguing are Jesus’ oft-repeated words, “I tell you the truth." Jesus, the embodiment of Truth, validated His words with, “I tell you the truth.” To weight the keys of the gospel, Christ emphasized, “I tell you the truth.”

Jesus prefaced every teaching with those words, except for once. Speaking of the way He will prepare for His own to reach Heaven, Jesus says, “If it were not so, I would have told you” (John 14:2). Jesus wants the Apostles to be convinced, “In my Father’s house are many rooms.” Because Jesus knew full well how the Apostles’ lives would change after His resurrection, He wanted them to be assured of their eternal reward. If Heaven merited Jesus’ double emphasis within the final discourse with the Apostles, why doesn’t the Bible tell us more? Wouldn’t a greater revelation of Heaven instill a greater desire to obtain Heaven? I believe we are told no more because God knows our nature to seek the highest and best for ones’ self. Simply put, we hold well to the notion of keeping our eyes on the prize. We are prize driven, rather than purpose driven!

Publishers’ Clearing House proves our prize-driven nature. How many people subscribe to magazines because of a slimmer-than-slim chance of winning ten million dollars? We are told, “No purchase is necessary to win!”, but we think the odds have to be better by subscribing. We buy for the remotest chance of winning. However, how many people find it hard to subscribe to an assured home in Heaven, guaranteed by the immutable promises of God?

Yes, within our earthly nature we are prize driven. In Matthew 13, we read Jesus’ parable of the hidden treasure. “The kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. The one who found it sold all he had to buy the field.” Would the man have purchased the land just to toil in it, without the treasure? Likely not; the prize alone made the land worth all he had.

While longing for the prize, we are to be purpose driven; that is to be “called according to His purpose.” Thus, the only way to dream of Heaven is to set our purpose upon Jesus’ purpose. For “many are the purposes of man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:21). It is easier to know the purpose of a man’s heart, but it is only fine “to be zealous, provided the purpose is good” (Galatians 4:18); that is, a purpose which is of God.

What is driving our lives? What is getting in the way of Christ's purpose?While longing for Heaven are we seeking only the prize, or are we seeking to fulfill Christ’s purpose? Too often, we are zealous to buy earthly treasures we don’t need with money we don’t have. In the striving for earth’s prizes there is too little left of ourselves to purpose our lives towards Heaven.

One of the most rewarding transitions of my life has been losing the desire to acquire all the shiny big-boy toys, parked in the mega-garage of my pseudo-mansion, while I’m away on a two-week cruise. Are we willing to forfeit our earthly treasures? Consider how much time is spent by taking care of our toys. Many of them require more trouble than the pleasure we gain from them. Consider the amount of anxiety we have in acquiring more, and the worry over losing it. Perhaps, it is time to shed the burden of the boat, the extra cars and second home. In doing so, there is room for Christ’s purpose. Remember, it is only fine “to be zealous, provided the purpose is good;” that is a purpose which is of God.
.