Scripture

My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?

~John 14:2, NIV

Quote

Before God made man, He made a place for man to live.

~Charles L. Allen

Charles L. Allen was a Methodist Pastor of the last century. He wrote several books, all fairly short. Most were less than 200 pages. GOD’S PSYCHIATRY is a classic in my opinion. I mentioned my fondness for his books and someone {I think Perry Smith} gave me three or four that I had not read. I am finishing up one of those [PRAYER CHANGES THINGS} at present. To be honest, I have been a little disappointed with this one, but I did love chapter 23, A PLACE NAMED HEAVEN. Creation itself is absolutely astounding. It is God’s visible, yet many times, silent witness. It is amazing: when God placed us here, we had everything we needed: oxygen, grain, fruit, meat, milk, eggs and fresh water just to mention a few. Sometimes it takes us awhile to discover what God has put here for us. It took 2,000 years to discover coal and then after that coal oil. It took us 6,000 years to discover electricity and then a few more to discover the unbelievable power of the atom. I am sure there is a lot more that we have not yet discovered. Truly, the world is an amazing place.

Let us take fresh water for example: we have to have water, we cannot live without it. How is it that we do not run out? God designed huge reservoirs that we call oceans. Yet oceans contain salt water that is not fit for human consumption. So God created a process known as the water cycle: evaporation {the sun draws the water into the atmosphere}; then condensation {the vapor collects in what we call a cloud}; then precipitation {rain, snow, sleet, hail}; then collection {underground streams, creeks, rivers, lakes and then finally back to the ocean.

As you think about this, you have to conclude that God did an incredible job preparing us a place. Do you agree? Jesus told the disciples, I am going to prepare you a place. Obviously, He was not talking about this place but another place beyond this place. If the earth is more than we can imagine or discover, how much greater must heaven be! Here is my thinking: Jesus is in the place we are going, thus we are not simply going to a place, we are going to a person, Jesus. There is no sin or evil in this place. We get to keep our personality but we jettison this body of sin that was corrupted by the fall. We get rid of the old self that is vain, greedy and selfish. I have to be honest: I am not disappointed in the earth or the Tennessee Valley. I think creation is magnificent but I think the new creation will be more so. Infinitely more so.

Extra

Little cool but the sun is shinning. Thanks for reading the blog and I hope you have a great day.