Waking in a new place

One more night in Seattle. We have three flights ahead - and already my head is trying to wrap itself around the change of place.

In the past year, several friends have died. The juxtaposition of shifting from life here to there has me wondering, "What will the transition be like when we leave this world and wake up in eternity?"

Will we find we have become the person we were designed to be?
Will we have finished the work we were created to do?
Will we wake up where we set out to go?

The challenge and the delight of faith in Jesus is accepting that he assumes the burden we cannot carry, taking away the weight of our sins and nailing them to the cross. Released, resurrected, we are free to live life to the full. Then, how do we embrace God's great generosity?

We stop flailing about trying to overcome sin and failures. God understands our brokenness and has redeemed us: our debt is paid in full.
We're no longer striving to mask flaws or earn points with God. Completely known, we are utterly loved and accepted.
We do good to reflect our gratitude to God, our hopefulness, and our lightness of heart. We've a story to tell and abundance to share.

Ah, how many times have I sighed over the transition to eternal life with God! I've held memorial programs in my hands and envied the bliss and peace of a saint who has gone to live forever with God. I've cried over people I will miss, but I've never grasped a Christian's reluctance to finish life on earth and enter the glorious presence of God. The sting of sin - death - has been removed.

There will be no airplane to take us from here to there. Perhaps sickness or an "accident" or old age will transports us from this life to the next. It may be slow or quick, but it is certain we will go.

The Good News of Jesus is that the path is certain. Our forgiveness has been sealed by another's sacrifice on our behalf. What anticipation, joy, and home-sickness fill my heart tonight, lying in my bed and thinking ahead.

Read more:
*You have set my feet in a broad place. Psalm 31:8 ESV

*You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God. Joel 2:26 ESV

*God has not left himself without a witness in doing good—giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filling you with food and your hearts with joy. Acts 14:17 ESV

*May you have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge. Ephesians 3:18–19 ESV

Moravian Prayer: Thank you, God, for your boundless and infinite love for us. We want to serve you only. Lead us to recognize you through our Savior Jesus Christ.

Eternal God, you are the Provider. You give us your grace through Jesus Christ and you always provide us with abundant fruits of the land to feed us. We give you thanks for all of these gifts. Amen.