The Final Destination
I’m sitting in the Portland airport waiting for my flight to San Francisco to board. In preparation for this trip there were many things I had to do: book the flight, reserve my hotel room, register for the conference I’m going to, schedule a shuttle to get me to and from the airport, pack my luggage, request this laptop from work to take with me, make sure my presentation was on a flash drive, pack some books from work for another speaker’s presentation, check out a credit card from our accounting department to pay for my food and lodging, and I’m sure there was something else along the way. So much preparation for a 4 day trip!
Then I also was compelled to make sure my family was taken care of while I am gone. I made 2 dishes this week that always have leftovers — Texas Skillet Dinner and Lasagna — so they would have something to eat. I went shopping and got cat food because we were out. I wrote out a schedule for the week on put it on the fridge. And I encouraged my son to study for his final exams this week.
It got me thinking about another trip that we all will make some day. That is the trip from this earthly life to eternity. It’s a much more important trip than the one I’m going on this weekend and will last much longer. But how much time do people spend preparing for this most important trip? Some people don’t spend any time at all; some don’t even believe the trip will ever happen. Others spend a little time thinking about it, but not much. But sometimes Christians can be too focused on heaven and forget the joy of the journey to get there. I’m reminded of the song by Johnny Cash called “No Earthly Good.”
Come hear me good brothers come here one and all
Don’t brag about standing or you’ll surely fall
You’re shinin’ your light yes and shine if you should
You’re so heavenly minded and you’re no earthly good
No earthly good you are no earthly good
You’re so heavenly minded you’re no earthly good
If you’re holdin’ heaven then spread it around
There are hungry hands reaching up here from the ground
Move over and share the high ground where you stood
So heavenly minded and you’re no earthly good
Thankfully, the only essential preparation for our trip to heaven is to trust in Jesus. Your ticket and mine have already been purchased and all the travel plans were taken care of at Calvary. That gives us the luxury of focusing on the journey and on being a blessing to others on the way. If you are certain of your final destination, then there is less time spent worrying and more time available for spreading around the love of Christ.
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That was a beautiful article!
Thank you. 🙂 Peace, Linda
God bless you, Linda, on this current trip and on the journey to heaven as well. You are ready and prepared to go. Thank you for helping us all be ready too! 🙂
Deb, I suspect we may not ever meet face to face here on earth, but I’m looking forward to hanging out together around the throne when we get to heaven! Peace, Linda
Hi Linda,
I did a lot of moving around at one point in my life. It always bugged me when I had to pack and move. Your post reminds me of the song below (third stanza being my favourite).
“Thankfully, the only essential preparation for our trip to heaven is to trust in Jesus. ”
Bless you for sharing Linda. Looking forward to that trip! I pray we’ll all be ready for that big day.
Blessings
ann
1. I’ve been traveling for Jesus so much of my life,
Been traveling o’er land and on sea.
But I’m planning on taking a trip to the sky,
That will be the last move for me.
CHORUS:
When I move to the sky up in heaven so high
What a wonderful time that will be.
I’m ready to go washed in Calvary’s flow.
That will be the last move for me.
2. I’ve seen wonderful sights as I traveled afar.
How little, how empty they seem.
When I make my last move to that city of gold
That will be the last move for me.
3. Here I’m bothered with packing each time that I move
And carry a load in each hand,
But I’ll not need one thing that I’ve used in this world
When I move to that heavenly land.
4. Everything that I’ll need will be furnished up there
Not even my song books I’ll bring,
Or the precious old Bible that showed me the way
I’ll not need when I stand by my King.
Ann, Thanks for sharing that song! It’s a perfect addition to this post. I actually haven’t moved in 22 years, though I did have to pack up almost everything and put it in storage two years ago when we remodeled our house. Got rid of a lot of stuff in that process. But I like how this song points out we won’t need any of that stuff when we go to heaven. Not even our Bibles because we will have the Word of God in the flesh right there! Peace, Linda
Now I know all your secret why you have more time spreading God’s love…thank you for blessing me with that. It has been a great journey.
🙂
Rea, My goal is the spread the “secret” around, because I don’t think Jesus wanted it to be a secret. In fact, He told His disciples to go and tell everyone! So that’s what I’m trying to do. 🙂 Peace, Linda