Heaven Bound

As I have said before, I work with people from many cultural and ethnic backgrounds. I also work with a very diverse demographic of people. Some of the people grew up with a comfortable home life, others grew up very poor and in dysfunctional environments. Whatever the background, whatever the up-bringing, whatever nation they are from, whatever their race... we are all in the same place at the same time. Because of that we are all, at least in my opinion, equal.

The other week I had a heaven moment. As I was inspecting parts in my department, I came to a friend's work station. I enjoy talking with my friend, not because we always understand one another but because he seems like a nice guy. While standing there checking for quality, I glanced up and my soul cried out to God that I wanted to go to heaven with my friend and his family. It was such an overwhelming burden that I wanted to weep. Here is a man that I can't always understand as he speaks another language. A man that is scarred from being caught in a civil war. A man that does not know my Jesus. A man who serves his own god, Allah. Regardless of what my friend is right now, I want him, his wife and his children to be in heaven with Jesus, my Lord and Savior. This burden and vision has become so real to me that even as I walk down-wind of someone who does not bathe, I realize that they too are welcome in heaven. As I talk with a person who is annoying or hateful, my heart yearns for them to be in heaven. I am learning, by the grace and love of God, to allow my soul see the soul of my harvest field rather than the fleshly bodies those souls inhabit.

The heaven that we are seeking will not be filled with people who look, speak, eat and smell just like us. I believe that there will be more people that didn't bathe make it heaven than people who look just like me but are self-righteous. There will be more people in heaven that have needle tracks up their arm, who allowed God to deliver them, than there will be gossips who look exactly like me. Heaven will be filled with the redeemed, regardless of color, race, language, personal hygiene or fashion sense. According to Revelations, the water of life is given to ANYONE who thirsts and ANYONE who overcomes will inherit all things. Those that will not inherit are those that do not overcome, regardless of race, color, or language. The question becomes will you inherit and will you take those of your harvest field that thirsts for the water of life that only Jesus can give?

Revelation 21:5-8
Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be my son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."