adventure # 22: my memories of Heaven

Hello dear friends and fellow adventurers

Explore Your Story is drawing to an end. There are only 4 videos left in the series and today's upload is the first of those videos. The final 4 videos are all about Heaven - where Heaven is, what Heaven is like, the proximity of Heaven to Earth...

In my opinion, I've kept the best for last. Yet I'm aware that few Christians share my passion for Heaven these days. Pastors don't preach about Heaven. Perhaps they feel out of their depth with such a subject, perhaps they wonder what the point is, perhaps they feel like they enter the realm of science-fiction when they see what the Bible says about Heaven. Whatever the reasons are, the truth is, you will seldom, if ever, hear a sermon about Heaven. Its almost like Heaven is an accessory that you can add on when you buy the product  - you can buy this tassle and add it on to your handbag if you like, but its the handbag itself that is really important.

And yet..in Colossians 1: 4, 5 Paul says the following:

"..we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints - the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in Heaven."

Both faith and love spring from, have their origin, in something that is stored in Heaven for you. There's a hope, Paul says, that is not to be found on Earth - rather, it is stored up in Heaven for you. This hope is the consummation of everything that Jesus has done for you. Its the future, the Heavenly future, that Jesus has won for you. And Paul makes the point that your life on Earth is hugely affected by whether or not you know about, and hold on to,  this hope. Even your faith in Christ and your ability to love these very imperfect fellow Christians, is based on this. So, if you find your faith on Earth is wavering, the solution is..fix your thoughts on Heaven. If you find you are struggling to love the saints on Earth, the solution is..fix your thoughts on Heaven.

You can begin to do so right now, and for the next 4 weeks, as you engage with this first video.