IT’S PERSONAL
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last.”
Revelation 1:17 (NLT)
I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!
Psalm 121:1-2 (NLT)
Have you ever had someone tell you, Don’t take it so personally? As we read in Scripture, everything is meant to be taken personally. It’s meant to guide us, correct us and prepare us for heaven. Heaven helps us prepare for our home in heaven forever. Often, when things are personal to us, it’s because they help us or hurt us in some way. If we believe that heaven is just some far-away destination that we can’t reach, it probably will not be a very personal place for us. As we live here on earth, we experience glimpses of heaven daily. We encounter people, see beauty around us, work, perform tasks and use our imagination to wonder about things.
I think of heaven as a place where I will perform many of the same things I do here on earth. I will converse with others, laugh with others, worship with others, and share a meal with others—but without the negativity or pain of this current life. For me, I choose to make heaven a very personal and present reality in my life right now. The same God who created heaven also created me, and He created you. That doesn’t get more personal than that. Many have said, I just can’t see any experiences of heaven in my life. The idea of striving harder to see heaven often causes us to miss the blessings that are already in our presence. When we pray, we are speaking directly to heaven. When we serve someone, we act out instructions from heaven. When we love someone, we live out the greatest command from heaven. God is a very personal God who offers us His help today and waits for us to call on Him.
APPLICATION: Make a list today of what you value and why. Then ask yourself what value that has in heaven. If heaven is meant to help us now, then where does everything fall in perspective?
PRAYER: Father, I want to embrace heaven today. Show me what is preventing me from valuing how heaven can help me live out my purpose today for others and Your kingdom. Amen.
"… Our Father in heaven…" Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
• What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
"… may your name be kept holy." Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
• What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
"May your Kingdom come soon." Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
• Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
"Give us today the food we need," Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
• Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I'm around today?
"and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us" Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
• Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
"And don't let us yield to temptation…" Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
• Is there anywhere I'm vulnerable to temptation?