Date: 3/10/2009
<br>Author: Devin Pickard
<br>Title: Enjoy the trip!
<br><br>Perhaps you have heard the old adage that goes something like this..... “Often times, the best part of a trip is not the destination as much as it is the journey.”  Please understand what I am about to try to say.   Like you, I want to go to heaven more than anything else in the world.  I firmly believe that heaven will be a million times better than how John describes it in Revelation 21.  Gates of pearl?  Streets of gold?  It certainly sounds great, doesn't it?  I am convinced that John tried his dead-level best to describe the eternal resting place of all the saints and their Heavenly Father, but keep in mind, he could only use simple human terms for simple human understanding.  I seriously doubt there are even any words in the vocabulary of mankind that could come close to helping our minds absorb what God's home is actually like.    This much I would bet the farm on though.....once we walk through those gates of the “home of the soul”, we will forget that we ever lived on planet earth.<br><br>I came to the following realization recently after playing volleyball with our buddies at the Centerville Church of Christ.....I know beyond any shadow of a doubt that God wants me to enjoy eternity with Him someday.  But, I also think that he wants me to enjoy the journey to heaven on this side of eternity.  I think he wants me to laugh and be full of joy.  I think he wants me to smell the roses and “skip to my Lou”.  I think God wants me to spend as much fellowship time with brothers and sisters in Christ as I can in order to share all of those things mentioned above.  I think the words of the song “God's Family” can describe it far better than I can.<br>         <br>“We're part of the family, that's been born again...Part of the family, whose love knows no end...For Jesus has saved us, and made us His own...Now were part of the family, that's on it's way home.<br>And sometimes we laugh together...Sometimes we cry...Sometimes we share together...Heartaches and sighs...Sometimes we dream together...Of how it will be...When we all get to heaven, God's family...And tho some go before us...Yes, it will be homecoming time...A time when we will all meet again...Just inside the city...That's right, they'll be waiting for us when we arrive in that heavenly city, just as we enter in...There'll be no more parting...It's together forever with all our loved ones. But not just our loved ones, we'll also be forever with Jesus...Together forever, God's family.”<br><br>               I don't think it was a coincidence that the Church grew so much during the time of its infancy.  The book of Acts describes early Christians as people who enjoyed spending time with one another.....in fact, so much so that many sold possessions in order that the less fortunate could afford to hang around a few days longer.  People tend to be drawn to folks who show a genuine concern and care for their welfare and quality of life.  We also tend to gravitate toward those individuals who help us to feel good about ourself, show us the half-full side of the glass, and even help us to chuckle every now and then.  This can apply from our time spent together in worship.....to time spent together in the mission fields....to even time spent together with other Christians in a friendly game of volleyball. Yes, I have no doubt, Heaven will surely be worth it all.....but that does not mean that we can't enjoy the steps as we head in that direction.<br>                                                                                                                                     <br><br> Go the extra mile - Devin<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>  <br>