Another world …

I wish I could communicate “another world” to many people I know and love, at least that is how the thought came to me one day at work. Life with God I mean.

Whether it would be communicating this to my two youngest sons who don’t realize what they are missing as they live in a world where God is barely a conscious thought, or whether it would be communicating this to many of the people who fill the pews every Sunday but are distant to God because their religion and daily walk keep him at arms length, not realizing what they are missing with their words-only Christianity, not having experienced the love and presence of God because they have kept their hearts at a distance.

God is there …
In the world I wish that I could communicate, God is real no matter our circumstances. He is there, not just in concept or memory, but there there, the living, breathing God of the universe involved in my life. And in that world, I can go to God anytime for what I need, which so very often is mercy and grace to help me along the way.

He died and lived for us …
He actually welcomes my approach.  He understands the enormity of the task of life here, the pain of the road. We must not forget that he not only died for us but he lived for us. For over thirty years he lived as one of us.  He knows the great mix of pain and joy as a human occupant of the planet.

Beyond the horizon and in front of my face …
In the other world, a person spends a bit of time also looking beyond the horizon knowing that life is more than what we see. In this world of God, life is the moment and forever at the same time.

God’s world has to fit their world  …
Many are confused when about the reality of the other world because they do not live in view of both worlds.  Their religion or philosophy or opinion or whatever they wish to label it is tethered to earth.  These confused souls speak of “the real world” as opposed to the world God describes.  Their religion doesn’t allow them to bow before a God who rules every kingdom.  God’s world has to fit their world.  Ain’t gonna’ happen, bro.

The irony of the “real world” …
Think how ironic that is. If the world, as we perceive it, is “the real world,” then what is the world as described for thousands of years in God’s holy book? Not real? Pretend? Good to a point and then we have to take over?  Do we see the irony?  We decide what is most real.  We’ve been around a few decades and we know better than the eternal God?  Really?

But even possibly more astounding are professing Christians who, in their “real world,” consider certain things vital, like lying for the greater good, misinterpreting the words of God for the sake of our agendas, misrepresenting the church budget so people will still give their money, using good business sense when faith doesn’t seem to be panning out.

We’ll stop there as this list is long and dark.

Yes, I think I’ll stay with the other world, the one about which God writes that:

• loving God and loving our neighbor are not pushed aside for theology or agendas
• forgiveness and mercy and grace mean something and always will
• the life I live at this moment in view of eternity will make a statement of God’s glory before heaven’s throne

Praise you, Mighty God!

One last thought: To live in this world of God demands huge resources.

Just like any expedition or adventure, you have to have adequate supplies. And how unique is this journey? We need provision for each day of our lives, and, then, when we expire here we need resources that continue forever. We can’t arrive at the threshold of eternity having exhausted our resources.

Jesus did pay it all …
So what a sigh of relief as we realize that we have everything we need in Jesus Christ. Included in God’s offer of eternal life is abundant provision for each day of life on this Earth that continues when I cross the horizon to eternity.  Jesus paid it all as he shed his blood in full payment for our sins.

Jesus chose death so we could choose life.

So in Jesus Christ I live now and forever in the presence of God.

I like God’s world better.