It is often said that the journey is the destination. Probably like most catchy sayings it is sometimes true and sometimes not. Taking a road trip with the family can indeed be the destination. The journey coming home to loved ones after a long absence is not the destination. The destination is the envelopment of loved ones in your arms.
Life is a journey. However, some folks are so heavenly oriented they have lost sight of now and they only live for the future. I can indeed understand that for people who have lost loved ones. It is natural that they are living for resurrection morning and reunion. However, there are those with no such motivation. They live in a fantasy world; imagining all kinds of science fiction type experiences they think will occur in heaven. They almost stop living now.
Life is for living. Life is for growing and sharing and cultivating relationships. The wider our social circle the richer we become. The more people we reach out to the wiser we become as we watch their reactions to our unselfishness. One of many reasons for going to church is to meet like-minded people and enjoy their friendship. Forgive me for likening it to the old television program Cheers. But we want to go (need to go) where everybody knows our name. When we are absent we are missed.
While I certainly do not want to discourage people from looking forward to the second coming of Jesus, I do want to encourage us to look around at the now. Reach out to others. Last evening while walking my dog a teen passed me with his head buried in texting. When I said hi he was so startled he almost dropped his phone.
Written by Roger Bothwell on July 12, 2012
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org