Whew! Much better

I will start by saying that I love these creatures! If bugs creep you out, then well, I am sure this picture freaked you out. My siblings and I grew up calling this bug a locust, but it’s actually a cicada (click here if you simply must know more: Bugs 101).

I used to find these little brown shells around the yard in the summer when we lived in Virginia. I mean, come on, it’s pretty fascinating to see this brown looking little crusty thing walking around. The ground – eight inches deep – must be 63 degrees to activate these guys to emerge in late summer. Kind of creepy, eh?  Back to their shells – they can usually be found “vacant” on the side of a tree at some point. I had the opportunity to watch one emerge from its shell one afternoon. Afterwards, this guy rested a few hours while his wings dried and then he eventually flew away. Whew! That whole metamorphosis thing is exhausting .

I associate their transfiguration process with the similarities of our beginning new life. Changed life. Squeaky clean and full of promise. Leaving our old crusty shells behind and getting our wings. We should look different when this happens.

This can be looked at from two angles, our new life here on earth as christians or our new lives at home in Heaven. Which, by the way, why isn’t Heaven discussed more? Is it because we must die before we can get there? Nobody really wants to discuss that.

We should change that. Heaven should be discussed and thought about more. I mean, it is our destination. The Destination. The keep your eye on the prize (Phil 3:4), run the race set before you (Hebrews 12:1, 2) goal. All of that good stuff we read in the Bible.

We can’t even imagine what we are in store for when we arrive in Heaven. Streets of gold, hello!? If you think for just a moment about the Ark of the Covenant (the Ten Commandments were kept in it) – God has superior taste! Grand, meticulously detailed, the finest of everything. The Designer of all designers. He is very specific in the design of things and places, detailed to the hilt with dimensions, types of wood, fabric, gold, silver, bronze, emeralds, sapphires, pearls, rubies, garnet. Seriously, it goes on and on and on. He is magnificent and this place Jesus is preparing for you and me will be nothing less than magnificent. Sign. Me. Up.

Let’s try to make it a point to get on board with the Heaven chatter. What will your mansion look like? What rewards are being stored up for you for when you arrive in Heaven? Who do you think is going to be waiting at the gate to greet you? The best part about Heaven? It’s fully furnished! All you have to bring is you.

Oh and great news, you won’t need to rely on GPS to get you there either, no toll roads, that’s all been paid in advance. The directions start right here:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.    -John 3:16   NIV