Over the years, I've heard many people point to the world around us and use it to explain why they refuse to believe in or follow God.
They point to natural disasters that take lives and ruin whole communities and ask why they would choose to follow a God that allows such a thing to happen.
They point to wars and the sometimes unfathomable violence that people do and wonder how they are supposed to believe that there is a God who loves mankind in the midst of that.
Some of them have seen terrible diseases, sicknesses, or accidents take the lives of friends or loved ones and then refuse to follow a God that wouldn't save someone from such a thing.
What do you say to these people when there is so little that you can say? How do you explain what really is the unexplainable?
In Philippians 3 the apostle Paul writes
Revelation 15:3 talks about the believers in heaven singing the "Song of Moses." Pastor Matt Chandler, in his book To Live is Christ, writes about how that verse bothered him for so long. He wondered, why are the believers singing the song of Moses? Wouldn't you think they would be singing the song of Jesus? Or the song of God? Or at least the song of heaven?
Remember the story of Jesus having dinner with Simon the Pharisee? In the middle of their visit, in walks a woman of ill repute, unannounced and uninvited. Immediately she begins worshiping Christ by anointing him with expensive perfume and washing his feet with her tears. Simon is a bit put out by this, thinking that, if Jesus knew what this woman really was, he would never allow her to do such a thing. And Jesus, of course, uses the moment to teach Simon. When this story is written in the gospel of Mark, there is a powerful quote by Jesus at the end. He says
Heaven will be filled with the praises of God and his son Jesus Christ. In the book of Revelation we read powerful testimony to angels surrounding the throne praising God, saying
But...
To be totally honest, there was always a bit of a thought running through my head that, well, maybe praising God 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (not that there will be time like this in heaven - just making a point) will be really awesome...for awhile. But...maybe it will get kind of repetitive after awhile?
But then I thought of the song of Moses...
And I thought, maybe we'll be up in heaven. And maybe we happen to notice that there's a bit of a celebration going on at this table. When we wander over, we find Moses, and Moses is telling his story, and he's saying "And then God did this! And then God did that!" Meanwhile those listening are shouting roars of praise and celebration as Moses recounts his life story.
Then you notice that there's a fuss at another table across the room. At that table the story teller is Abraham, and he's saying "And then God did this! And then God did that!", again to loud praise and celebration by all listening.
Maybe there's another table where David is doing the same thing...
And maybe another table with Paul and the other apostles...
And, just maybe, there's another table. At this table there's a woman. That woman. She's saying, "And then Jesus did this! And then Jesus did that!" To the praise and celebration of all those around her.
In fact, won't there be a table there for you and me as well? Because the believers are not just singing the song of Moses. Everyone has a song in heaven. Everyone has a story to share.
Maybe you're thinking, "I don't have much of a story to share."
But maybe that's because, right now at least, you don't see the whole picture. Because you and me? We're in the same boat as those in the world who can't understand why some of these terrible things can happen in a world that was created by a loving heavenly Father. As we live on this earth, in these physical bodies, we don't see it all. We don't understand it all.
But one day?
The apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13 that "Now I know in part; then I shall know fully."
One day, in heaven, having been transformed into our glorious spiritual bodies, we will know and understand fully everything that has happened in our physical lives. We'll be able to look back at our earthly lives and see every little and big thing that God was doing in our lives. We'll understand the bad things, why they happened, and how it was that God was right there alongside us trying to see us through. We'll be able to answer the whys, and we'll be able to see that God was true and faithful to His love for us every step of the way.
What a day that will be.
And until then, the life we lead, we live by faith in Him who is faithful, praying every day that He will strengthen our faith and increase our trust.
Until the day we get to sing our song in heaven...
They point to natural disasters that take lives and ruin whole communities and ask why they would choose to follow a God that allows such a thing to happen.
They point to wars and the sometimes unfathomable violence that people do and wonder how they are supposed to believe that there is a God who loves mankind in the midst of that.
Some of them have seen terrible diseases, sicknesses, or accidents take the lives of friends or loved ones and then refuse to follow a God that wouldn't save someone from such a thing.
What do you say to these people when there is so little that you can say? How do you explain what really is the unexplainable?
In Philippians 3 the apostle Paul writes
"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body."I believe that Paul is talking about life in heaven. For every person who has believed in God and has trusted in the grace gift of Christ's work on the cross, heaven is our eternal destination. And it seems to me that Paul is reminding us that, one day, we will be transformed from these physical bodies that wither and perish, into glorious spiritual bodies that will never do either of these things.
Revelation 15:3 talks about the believers in heaven singing the "Song of Moses." Pastor Matt Chandler, in his book To Live is Christ, writes about how that verse bothered him for so long. He wondered, why are the believers singing the song of Moses? Wouldn't you think they would be singing the song of Jesus? Or the song of God? Or at least the song of heaven?
Remember the story of Jesus having dinner with Simon the Pharisee? In the middle of their visit, in walks a woman of ill repute, unannounced and uninvited. Immediately she begins worshiping Christ by anointing him with expensive perfume and washing his feet with her tears. Simon is a bit put out by this, thinking that, if Jesus knew what this woman really was, he would never allow her to do such a thing. And Jesus, of course, uses the moment to teach Simon. When this story is written in the gospel of Mark, there is a powerful quote by Jesus at the end. He says
"Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."So what does this have to do with the song of Moses? And what does any of this have to do with people who see the darkness in the world and choose not to believe in God?
Heaven will be filled with the praises of God and his son Jesus Christ. In the book of Revelation we read powerful testimony to angels surrounding the throne praising God, saying
"Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."and
"Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and praise and glory!"We get the picture that heaven might be a place where all we do is forever praise and glorify God the Father and Jesus the Son. And they are well deserving of that.
But...
To be totally honest, there was always a bit of a thought running through my head that, well, maybe praising God 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (not that there will be time like this in heaven - just making a point) will be really awesome...for awhile. But...maybe it will get kind of repetitive after awhile?
But then I thought of the song of Moses...
And I thought, maybe we'll be up in heaven. And maybe we happen to notice that there's a bit of a celebration going on at this table. When we wander over, we find Moses, and Moses is telling his story, and he's saying "And then God did this! And then God did that!" Meanwhile those listening are shouting roars of praise and celebration as Moses recounts his life story.
Then you notice that there's a fuss at another table across the room. At that table the story teller is Abraham, and he's saying "And then God did this! And then God did that!", again to loud praise and celebration by all listening.
Maybe there's another table where David is doing the same thing...
And maybe another table with Paul and the other apostles...
And, just maybe, there's another table. At this table there's a woman. That woman. She's saying, "And then Jesus did this! And then Jesus did that!" To the praise and celebration of all those around her.
In fact, won't there be a table there for you and me as well? Because the believers are not just singing the song of Moses. Everyone has a song in heaven. Everyone has a story to share.
Maybe you're thinking, "I don't have much of a story to share."
But maybe that's because, right now at least, you don't see the whole picture. Because you and me? We're in the same boat as those in the world who can't understand why some of these terrible things can happen in a world that was created by a loving heavenly Father. As we live on this earth, in these physical bodies, we don't see it all. We don't understand it all.
But one day?
The apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13 that "Now I know in part; then I shall know fully."
One day, in heaven, having been transformed into our glorious spiritual bodies, we will know and understand fully everything that has happened in our physical lives. We'll be able to look back at our earthly lives and see every little and big thing that God was doing in our lives. We'll understand the bad things, why they happened, and how it was that God was right there alongside us trying to see us through. We'll be able to answer the whys, and we'll be able to see that God was true and faithful to His love for us every step of the way.
What a day that will be.
And until then, the life we lead, we live by faith in Him who is faithful, praying every day that He will strengthen our faith and increase our trust.
Until the day we get to sing our song in heaven...
