HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN (Isaiah 35)

The people God has ransomed will come back on this road. They'll sing as they make their way home to Zion, unfading halos of joy encircling their heads, welcomed home with gifts of joy and gladness as all sorrows and sighs scurry into the night. (Isaiah 35:9-10, MSG)

Jesus is "the way," the only way to heaven and eternal life. In fact, early Christians were known as followers of the Way.

Jesus mentioned the Way in His teaching. During the Sermon on the Mount, He said, "Straight is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matthew 7:14, NKJV) I've heard it said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. It is definitely the easy road, wide, easy to find and to follow. Jesus describes the road that leads to life as narrow and hard to find.

In Isaiah, we read of the joy we find on the road--joy that grows the closer we approach to heaven. One has to have a ticket punched by the blood of Jesus's righteousness to get on the road. It's holy, and closed to the rude and rebellious. It is reserved for God's people, for those who are ransomed and redeemed. Once we're on that road, we can't get lost.

If you ever want a picture of our redemption, watch the death and resurrection of Aslan on The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

We're singing our way home. When Mom lay on her bed dying, I held her hand and sang hymns of hope and God's love and heaven. That's the way I'd like to go myself--and at least humming along if my voice or mind gives out.

Like the description in Revelation, all sorrows and sighs scurry away. Terrors of the night can't exist--darkness doesn't exist. God Himself is the light.

Best yet, we'll be welcomed home. Embraced like the father embraced his prodigal son, like my Jolene ran to Jesus's lap. So many I have loved, the numbers growing more and more each year.

In its own way, it's the believer's version of the tortoise and the rabbit. The rabbits scamper down the wide path but lose the prize.

Narrow the highway may be, but everyone on the road knows the Lord. The Teacher walks with us, warning us of any bends in the road. When I come before the pearly gate, I will march in with the confidence that "whomsoever will" may enter in God's divine purpose before time began.

Amen and amen.

WHERE IS HEAVEN? (Psalm 43)

Give me your lantern and compass, give me a map, so I can find my way to the sacred mountain to the place of your presence. (Psalm 43:3, MSG)

Oh, I was tempted today to write about another verse for writers, particularly historical fiction, my specialty: We've been hearing about this, God, all our lives. Our fathers told us the stories their fathers told them. (Psalm 44:1, MSG)

But . . . the above verse won out.

In the television series "Seventh Heaven," someone close to the family died. Everyone told the youngest children that (Grandma, or whoever) had gone to heaven; the boy became obsessed in figuring where heaven was.You see, he couldn't find an empty spot in the sky (heaven "up there," hell "down there")where heaven might be. In the end, his even younger sister said, "that's easy. Grandma is right here, in my heart."

Sweet, and in terms of someone living on in our memories, her statement is correct. The fact I still remember says something about the effectiveness of its message.

But the question stayed with me. Where is heaven? Is the New Jerusalem on the New Earth heaven? (I don't think so. Doesn't John say he saw Jerusalem descending from heaven like a cloud?)

Is it a physical place? I think so. Jesus' resurrection body was clothed in flesh and blood--just immortal. (Just?!) One day our bodies will be clothed in immortality (1 Corinthians 15).

Another galaxy? Another universe? Another dimension, like matter and antimatter in Star Trek or the side-by-side worlds in Blue Adept by Piers Anthony? (a fun little scyfy/fantasy book I discovered at 20 cent book sale)

I'll let those who obsess about such things try to figure it out. I'll know the answers some day. And I know the way--the One who said "I am the way."

Psalm 43 doesn't name David as the author. So the unknown poet begs God for directions to "the place of your presence." You can't enter "heaven" into Mapquest or GPS to find it.

Now I know "sacred mountain" and "the place of your presence" sound like the temple in Jerusalem. But I assume the poet's question isn't that literal, that surely he knew the road to Jerusalem. He probably traveled there several times a year for the annual festivals. I'll go one step farther and guess that he didn't mean a literal lantern, compass or map. He wanted to know the where's and how's of finding God.

The answer is, God never left. He is everywhere. Not only that, the Holy Spirit lives inside me. But those "facts" don't change the feeling that God is far away. I've also heard the cliche, "God didn't move, you did." Having acknowledge all of that, we all know the feeling. When we feel alone, that if God is with us, He's silent.

Let's consider lantern, compass, and map. What spiritual tools serve the God-seeker?

A lantern is first of all a light, one that shows us where we are headed. How about, "thy word is a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path"? Or the Holy Spirit, lighting the next step if not much more? It is light. It relieves the darkness. What lifts us up and doesn't tear us down--seek those things.

A compass indicates direction. In the spiritual realm, we don't need four compass points. We have two: God or not-God. The spiritual man or the natural man. Obedience or disobedience. Again, the Bible guides us, and the Holy Spirit convicts us.

A map is needed for the step-by-step journey. How do I get from where I am to where I want to be? Let's face it, the Bible doesn't come with a handy index for making those life decisions: whom should I marry? what career should I pursue? where should I live?

The Bible does tell us how to walk (in the light, walk worthy, live wisely, etc.) How we make the journey is more important to God than what journey we take. God expects the same commitment from the farmer as from the president, although he will hold the president more accountable as a leader.

Where is heaven? We've already taken the first steps--studying His Word. Let's go on together.


If you love us so much, help us! (Psalm 44:26, MSG)