Heaven

Jun 8, 2021

Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. It's rider was named Faithful and True, for He judges fairly and wages a righteous war […] On His robe at His thigh was written this title: 'King of all kings and Lord of all lords.'"

- St. John, Revelation 9:11,16

I have come home at last! This is my real country! I belong here. This is the land I have been looking for all my life, though I never knew it until now… Come further up… come further in!"

- Jewel the Unicorn, Chronicles of Narnia "The Last Battle", C.S. Lewis

In the 1991 movie, "My Girl," an eleven year old girl named Vada and a little boy named Thomas J. are best friends. Because Vada's dad is the town's funeral director, and also because Thomas J. is always sick, both Vada and Thomas J. are socially rejected by the other kids. So in their social isolation... they become best friends.

One day Thomas J. asks Vada what heaven's like. And because she's given this some thought… especially since her dad's "in the business," so to speak… she tells Thomas J.:

"Heaven's a wonderful place - in heaven you get to ride a big white horse..."

"But," Thomas J. asks, "what if you're afraid of horses?"

"Oh," Vada replies, "these horses are so friendly, and they have wings… but if you do fall off, you don't get hurt, ‘cause you land on a cloud."

"And in heaven," Vada said, "everyone wants to be your friend, and no one gets picked last for the team."

Thomas J. smiles and says, "Sounds like a nice place."

"Oh yes!" Vada exclaimed, "It's the best… Way nicer than here!"

When you think about Vada's description of heaven, it's not so very different from the picture of heaven God the Father gave to an apostle named John:

"Big white horse" (Rev. 9:11,16) - The Lamb of God, who sits on the Throne is the One who sits on the Big White Horse and because He rules and reigns over everything and everyone… and because He loves us… He is a good and safe place for everyone.

"When you fall you won't get hurt." (Rev.21:3-4) - There is no pain or suffering or sickness in heaven… no death… everything has a soft landing place… like a cloud.

"Everyone wants to be your friend, and no one gets picked last..." (Rev. 21:3-4,7) - If there's no more tears… there's no more heart-break, no more loneliness, no more sadness, no more rejection, no more meanness… we are all the beloved sons and daughters of the King.

Like Vada, the more people that I love who die and go to heaven… the more I find myself thinking about Heaven.

Which is why I'm thinking about heaven today… because a friend of mine died last week. Many of you knew him… Bob Rusch. I'll tell you one story… the most important story… in my long journey with Bob.

Shortly after Bob began attending church like twenty-some years ago, he asked to meet with me. He came into my office for a 30 minute meeting at 9:00am 0n a Wednesday morning and ended up staying until like 5:00. And, I mean, he talked about everything… I could not stop the conversation, nor could I cut him off… one thing kept leading to another. By the end of the day, I knew his life, family, work and dreams better than my own. Finally, I said, "Look Bob, I'm teaching a Bible study in one hour at the school… I gotta go!" And that's when he looked at me and said, "OK, I'm ready!" "Ready for what?' I asked. He smiled and said, "I'm ready to give my life to Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord." "You are?", I exclaimed… "Right here? Right now? Really?!" I looked at my watch and said, "Well OK… But let's hurry!" Bob laughed… ‘cause he knew I was kidding. He knew these are the moments that I live for. And guess what? They became the moments that Bob lived his life for as well! So I led him down the Roman road of salvation… Romans 3:23, Romans 5:8, Romans 6:23, Romans 10:9. With tears in his eyes, Bob invited Jesus to be the Forgiver and the Leader of his life.

I'll be honest… I never thought it would stick… ‘cause Bob had a steroidal mind that just never stopped dreaming about the next big thing, and I always wondered whether Jesus… for Bob… was his dream of the week. But BOY OH BOY was I wrong! Bob stuck with Jesus… and Jesus stuck with Bob! And that's how I know today, as much as I know anything, that Bob is in heaven. And for the first time in his life, as he stands before the One who sits on the big white horse, he is speechless… and totally loved… and totally safe… and totally healed… and totally happy! And that makes me so glad!