Do You Want the Key that Opens Heaven's Doors?
Do you want the key that opens heaven's doors?
Who doesn't?
Afterall, a key like that could certainly be put to good use at a time like this!
I don't know about you, but I always thought of heaven as some distant land called "Beulah."
Not that Beulah is a bad name, but it sounded a bit old-fashioned to me, even if it does mean "married" and it's contextual meaning is that the land is "married to the LORD."
Wait, take a pause here and think about the beauty of that word!
Beulah--the land (and people) married to the LORD.
Precious in His sight.
In a covenant relationship with Him forever.
Hmmm.
But when I heard about the Beulah land of heaven, it seemed to me to be a lofty place somewhere suspended in the sky--afterall we call our beautiful blue, sometimes stormy, other times starry sky --the "heavenlies."
And if you pressed me further regarding my visual image of heaven, I would have to admit that it involves sitting on soft fluffy clouds playing harps. (FOREVER!!!!)
This visual image of heaven is as off base as the image of angels as chubby little babies with arrows they shoot in the hearts of star-struck lovers!
Nothing could be further from the TRUTH! Angels aren't chubby toddlers and heaven isn't in the clouds!
In reality, heaven is the "new earth." It is a whole lot like the undisturbed parts of this earth! Afterall, God created the world we've occupied since the beginning of time. And He made it for us!
One day we will dwell in the new earth (and this is the best part...) in new bodies.
I've come to understand that when we get to heaven we will have an immediate sense that we were MADE FOR THIS! I think that our first thought is going to be, "Why couldn't I get here sooner?!"
And the day will come when you and I will be there -- together, living like we've never lived before.
But until then there's impact and influence we have the power to make in the old sin stained, destined-for-destruction fallen world we call earth.
God has invited us to use our talents, our resources, our skills and abilities to guide as many people as possible to LIFE in heaven!
And the most powerful tool He's placed in our hands, heads and hearts is the powerful privilege of prayer.
For a few weeks we've reflected on this powerful privilege, and when we began the conversation a few weeks ago, I shared a story about a trip I took to Israel. Today I want to share a story about a trip I took to India.
In 2005 I went to India. While I was there I waded through a Hindu temple. It was an experience I’ll never forget.
I was traveling with other pastors' wives and the missionary we were visiting thought it would be a great experience to immerse ourselves in the Hindu worship of Ganesh. So on Sunday he took us to a temple in the heart of New Delhi.
We walked up a hill littered with trash and lined with carnival-type booths where people were laughing and eating and shopping for trinkets and baubles. When we got to the line where worshippers were waiting to enter the holy place where the idol of Ganesh was seated, the temple attendant told us to remove our shoes.
His intent was that we would remove our socks as well. But he graciously allowed us to keep our socks on when we protested that we were afraid of the filth our feet would have to touch on the indisputably filthy ground.
In our sock feet we lined up to wait our turn to "worship" Ganesh. We were surrounding by worshippers who were chatting with each other and eyeing us with friendly curiosity. As we edged closer to the temple entrance we saw temple attendants splashing water on the ground in a futile attempt to wash away the powders, flower petals and trash people tossed while they waited. This created a puddle of sorts and by the time we made it to the entrance of the temple we were wading in rancid water about 3 inches deep--our socks were soaked.
As we prayed for our feet to stay safe, we couldn't help but notice the sound of the worshippers growing louder and their voices intermingled with the clanging of bells. I asked an attendant why he was ringing the bells and he explained to me that they rang the bells to awaken their god in case he was sleeping.
Brought new meaning to Psalm 121:3-4,
“He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”
Just after we walked past the bell ringer, we entered into the holy place. Men and women were bowing and uttering prayers. They were tossing flower petals and powders toward a golden image of an elephant--the image of their Hindu god, Ganesh.
I watched as some tossed coins and others wailed. The temple attendants inside the enclosure motioned at us to bow down, and when we shook our heads in the most reverent refusal we could muster, they ushered us quickly out of the place.
I was overwhelmed.
And saddened.
And disgusted.
And baffled that people could be so desperate for worship and yet so set apart from truth that they would sacrifice and pay homage to an idol.
In contrast I think of the throne room of God.
And when I think of the holy place where our heavenly Father dwells, I think of a much different place.
I don't need magic powder or confetti to sprinkle before Him.
I am not driven there by fear of what God might do to me if I don’t worship Him properly.
I am not assured of prosperity and blessing simply because I show up and give Him homage.
And when I come to His throne room I don’t need bells to awaken Him and He certainly isn’t some cold, gold statue that sits lifeless on His throne.
When you get a few minutes to breathe in the goodness of God today, go take a look at Revelation 4.
This, my friends is the place where you are welcome.
You've been given the key that unlocks the door, and not only does God invite you to come, He urges you to come with confidence...
Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16
You have the key.
It's the powerful privilege of prayer.
Don't miss reading Revelation 4 today.
"At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits[a] of God. 6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal."
The description of the throne room of God in Revelations 4 gets better and better.
But there is one part of my experience in Ganesh’s throne room that might be valuable to relate to the throne room of God.
When we visited Ganesh, we literally waded through a wet layer of worship powders, confetti, and I don’t even want to imagine what else. Our feet were saturated, and when we were reunited with our shoes, we tossed the socks.
But my friends, when we enter the throne room of God, the floor there is also covered with a liquid in which we wade.
It's the sweet, precious, life-giving blood of Jesus Christ.
We would do well to enter the holy dwelling of the Lord God Almighty ever aware of the warm flow of Jesus’ blood that paves our way in.
We must not take this privilege of prayer for granted and for one instant forget that although it is free to us--and available for the taking...
it cost Jesus all He had to give.
Let's use the key we've been given and open heaven's doors when we pray!
