Read His Words Before Ours!
Isaiah 65:17-25
Isaiah 66:22-23
2 Peter 3:8-18
Revelations 21:1-7 
My three year old is fascinated by all things Heaven…but he is especially curious about the new bodies we will receive. Every day, he peppers me with questions like “Mama, will my new body have bigger muscles than this one? I really hope so! Maybe I will be strong like a hero, or like Goliath!” and “Mama, do you think I will have the same hair on my head in my new body, or do you think maybe I will be like Uncle Nick?” or “Mama, I really hope I look kinda’ the same in my new body…otherwise how will you know who I am? What if I look totally different? How will you find me?”
Some days, his thoughts about God and Heaven pour out in running monologues to the tune of “Mama, why can’t we just be in Heaven with God right now? Why do we have to wait? I want to see Him. I have a LOT of questions for Him! I want to know why He made bugs! We don’t really like bugs, but He made them anyway. I want Him to tell me why! And why does He have to be invisible? I want to be able to see Him when I talk to Him. Right now, not later. And why did He say if we have faith like a mustard seed, we could move a mountain? Was He being serious? Because I think I have more faith than that. And also why can’t I walk on water like Jesus?”
His questions make my head spin most days, but his passionate curiosity and relentless pursuit of the knowledge of the holy also make me pause to consider how easily I get caught up in my day-to-day routine and fail to pursue that same knowledge relentlessly. Sometimes, we all fall into the trap of complacency. We know where we are going and we know Who we follow, so we start to feel comfortable filling our days with errands and tasks…chores and routines. Rather than pursuing Him passionately and seeking to know more about Him and His plan for us, we fall into a rut. We start banking on our future inheritance rather than owning it in the now.
We know that this earth is temporary because God has told us numerous times throughout the Bible. Time and again throughout Scripture, He reiterates that this earth will pass away and the new will replace the old…but what does that mean for us, practically? Do we hold fast to that promise of “one day” without changing how we live in the here and now? Or do we allow that knowledge to shape our daily routines and lives, choosing a faith that acts on the promises He has made to us? And if we do choose change, how on earth do we go about walking in an inheritance we can’t see, touch, or feel? And what, exactly, does faith in His promise of a new heaven and new earth look like?
Change starts with our acknowledgement that what He has promised is true. This earth will pass away, along with everything in it. The temporal things we hold dear will disintegrate into dust.
Our schedules. Our belongings. Our name brands. Our fill-in-your-blank.
Don’t get me wrong…it isn’t a sin to have belongings or ambition. It becomes a sin when we turn a blind eye to our laid off neighbor while purchasing the new pair of heels we’ve been eyeing for weeks. It becomes sin when we avoid the eye contact we know will encourage an in depth conversation with our hurting friend because we just don’t feel up to the emotional drain. It becomes a sin when we pack our days and nights so full of activities and to-dos that we don’t leave room for Holy Spirit to lead us into encounters with the lost world around us. It becomes a sin when we are more willing to carve out time to catch up on our favorite show than to carve out time to catch up with our Father.
It becomes a sin when we place our schedules, belongings, brand names, social status, relationships or fill-in-your-blank in a place of higher priority than His Kingdom.
The first step to walking in the inheritance He has promised us is to recognize that this world is temporary. The only things that will last are the things of His Kingdom and the souls of every person. We were each appointed our roles in life for a very specific purpose, and when we begin to understand that walking in our inheritance means living out His Kingdom here and now, we will begin to effect real change and be a light that draws others to Him. Each of us were created with an indwelling hunger that only a relationship with Jesus can satiate. When we begin to live Kingdom and others-centered lives and build real relationship with those around us, we create space for Him to call them through our love.
Father, Your design and purpose for us is hard to comprehend sometimes. Most times. Thank you for this world and those You’ve placed in our circles. Show us how to live a life that demonstrates the eternal inheritance You have given us. Help us to recognize our choices and behaviors that do not line up with Your plan and purpose. We love You more than any other.
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Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Inheritance Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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