Where are you going?

"I'm going home, I'm going home, I am so happy I'm going home!"

This was the song my four year old nanny girls were singing while reading a book last week. They have a story called "A Squirrel's Tale" with a squirrel that slides through slots in the pages all the way to the end, when it reaches it's home. I had asked them where the squirrel was going and how it got there, but they only answered with this little jingle. Looking at the book I noticed there were many pages that took the squirrel through some sticky situations and a handful of nice ones as well, but the girls were only interested in the end result.

This was a clear picture to me of how our lives should look. As the girls were focused on getting home, we too should have a mindset that only strives for our true home with the Lord. Matthew 6:19-21 says, "Do not lay up for yourself treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also". If we are chosing to invest our time, energy, and resources on the present, we will be in a for a shock when everything we have gained in this world is left behind. I once heard a joke that a man pleaded with God to bring a suitcase to heaven with him and God allowed him, so he sold all of his possessions and packed pure gold. When he got to the gates of heaven he was asked to show what he brought and the angels asked themselves why he brought pavement. Nothing on this earth will be of any importance when we get to heaven!

Colossians 3 says "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth". Are you living for the moment and chosing to focus on what you can get here? Or are you like the squirrel and keeping your eye on the end prize?

In Matthew 6:33 it says, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." When we are actively pursuing God and striving towards heaven as our finish line, nothing on earth will matter. All of the sticky situations that the squirrel encountered only made being home all the sweeter! How much more will heaven be for us?

One of my favorite hymns is "When We See Christ". The chorus goes as such: It will be worth it all when we see Jesus. Life's trials will seem so small when we see Christ. One glimpse of His dear face all sorrow will erase. So bravely run the race till we see Christ.

What is your goal right now? To be promoted in work? To achieve a 4.0 GPA? To get married to the hunk next door? Or is it to run the race to Christ with all of your might?