Seasons: Winter — Tuesday
Philippians 3:19b-20a
Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. (NIV)
A few weeks ago, a buddy of mine approached me in the lobby one Sunday morning. I hadn’t heard from him in quite a while, so I was excited to see him.
“Dude, I’ve got some big news for you!” he grinned.
“You’re getting married?!” I joked, knowing he hadn’t had the best luck with women lately. He rolled his eyes.
“Nice try—but, no. I’m moving to California!”
I high-fived him and gave him a big hug. I was genuinely excited for him. A charming bachelor with a laid-back attitude, I knew the west coast would suit him well.
“Congratulations, man! When do you leave?”
“Three weeks!” he laughed nervously. “We’ll have to get together before I hit the road!”
Knowing my schedule for the next few weeks was insane (his would be, too), I quickly gave up hope of that ever actually happening. Awkwardly, the reality sank in that this conversation would possibly be the last time he and I would see each other, at least for a long time.
He’d come a long way from the guy I’d met two years ago in a men’s Bible study. In my short time of knowing him, I’d seen the Lord do some amazing work in his life—a lot of healing, a lot of redeeming. The same kind of redeeming He had done for me.
I’d been given a brief window into his life. Selfishly, I wanted to see the rest of the story unfold.
I wasn’t quite sure what to say. I felt sad. Suddenly, I felt the Holy Spirit nudging me, helping me find the words.
“I love you, man. And if I never see you again, I’ll see you in Heaven!” We clasped hands and celebrated with a big hug.
Two months ago, I would’ve thought that was a really weird thing to say (and maybe you still do). But that moment reminded me that it’s actually something I should say more often.
Paul knew how difficult goodbyes can be. He spent the second half of his life traveling from place to place, spreading the gospel, interacting with tons of faithful followers of Jesus, many of whom he would never see again.
But Paul’s words remind us that Heaven is a very real place. For those who have given their lives to Jesus, our citizenship isn’t found here on Earth, but in a world we have not yet seen.
And even though our paths here may never cross, I personally can’t wait to see you there!
Tuesday’s Reflection
Do you often think about earthly things? How often do you think about Heaven?
