Heaven and Earth

Earlier this week, I finally bought Phil Wickham's last CD, Heaven and Earth, on Amazon.  Speaking of which, the download was supposed to be $7.99...but for some reason they only charged me $2.99! :)  Maybe it's because I had serious issues downloading it and had to call their help desk and talk to them for forty minutes.  haha

Anyway, I've been listening to it basically nonstop since and absolutely love it.  Why?  Because it's all about Heaven!!!! :)  What could be better?  Well, actually being in heaven, of course.  Personally, I CANNOT WAIT for that day!  Often times, I talk to people who mention how they want to go to Heaven, but not yet.  They want to live here on earth for a few more years so that they can get married and have kids.  They want an earthly family and a good job.  After eighty years of the American dream, then heaven would be a nice place to go because there's no pain or suffering and everything is perfect.

But, as Christians, should that really be our view?  Shouldn't we be yearning for Heaven, incredibly excited for that day when our relationship with Christ is complete and we will enter in as His bride?  I certainly think so.  Heaven isn't supposed to be a nice place for an eternity of retirement.  It isn't supposed to be where we go after we've lived for ourselves here on Earth.  Think about how God must feel when that is what His children desire.  I can't even begin to imagine how much that must hurt Him to know that His kids, the ones that He loves more than anything else, simply want to go to Heaven because it's a nice place and they don't want to go to Hell...but they don't want to go too soon.  Ouch.

Recently, I feel like I've really begun to understand what Paul meant in Philippians 1:21-26.

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

I am truly torn.  I long to be with my Savior forever, uninterrupted by the worries and responsibilities of this life.  I desire that more than anything else.  Yet, I know He doesn't want me there yet.  He wants me here.  My relationship with Him has SO much room for growth here and there are so many people that don't know of the Incredible Love that I have.  So many children that have never felt the love of a human, much less the unconditional, amazing love of God.  So many hurting and broken college students that need Him more than anything.  So many women that have built up walls to keep out the pain and He is longing to tear them down.

This quote by Jackie Pullinger is so true.

I lack nothing. I have everything -- everything I want in Christ. But that's not true for the world. There are millions and millions and millions of people who lack. They don't know those words about the Lord who feeds hungry people. Nobody ever told them that oppressed people could be freed. They live believing that corruption is the norm. They pay people back with what they've been paid -- whether it's bad words or injustice or blows or beatings. That's what most of them know. For these people I have no excuse, for these you have no excuse. If you will not reach them with the love of God, if you will not tell them that there is a God who loves them -- loves them enough to die to make them whole -- who will? That's why He's allowed us to remain here. So that we can take His ministry to them. It's a job that the angels longed to do. But he left it to you and me. Not just the responsibility -- but the joy, the privilege of sharing good news. 

It is truly a joy and a privilege to share the love of Christ with those who don't know it.  Or those who have heard, but haven't been changed by it.

Yet, at the same time, I know that my greatest joy will continue to be Christ and the hope of one day being with Him in Heaven.  I wish it was today.  I long for it, desire it more than anything this world could possibly offer me.  Do you?

Phil Wickham's "Heaven Song" is truly my heart's song today.


You wrote a letter and You signed your name
I read every word of it page by page
You said that You'd be coming, coming for me soon
Oh my God I'll be ready for You

I want to run on greener pastures
I want to dance on higher hills
I want to drink from sweeter waters
In the misty morning chill
And my soul is getting restless
For the place where I belong
I can't wait to join the angels and sing my heaven song

I hear Your voice and I catch my breath
'Well done my child, enter in and rest'
Tears of joy roll down my cheek
It's beautiful beyond my wildest dreams

I want to run on greener pastures
I want to dance on higher hills
I want to drink from sweeter waters
In the misty morning chill
And my soul is getting restless
For the place where I belong
I can't wait to join the angels and sing...

I want to run on greener pastures
I want to dance on higher hills
I want to drink from sweeter waters
In the misty morning chill
And my soul is getting restless
For the place where I belong
I can't wait to join the angels and sing
No, I can't wait to join the angels and sing my heaven song