CJ and I recently went on a trip to Alaska, spending one week on land and one week on a cruise ship. It is a huge and spectacular state, truly the “Last Frontier”, full of amazing mountains, lakes, rivers, and great wildlife! We saw several moose up close, a large bear, and many other animals as well as beautiful flowers, thanks to nearly 20 hours of sunlight. If you can see it in your lifetime, it is well worth the trip!

In the middle of our first week, we got disturbing news about a long-time, dear friend named Ken. He had a stroke about a year ago, and the last time we saw him he appeared to be making wonderful progress toward recovery. But he had since gotten much worse, and his wife messaged us that he had been diagnosed with stage-4 lung cancer & was coming home to hospice care. We were broken-hearted to hear this, and I really hoped I would be able to visit Ken once more when we returned and talk and pray with him and thank him for his friendship and courageous faith. But on the 2nd week of our trip, after being off the internet for several days, we discovered Ken had died and that we would also miss the funeral! I had some of the same thoughts many of you may have had in similar circumstances. How can I enjoy this beautiful trip now, knowing that Ken’s wife and family are hurting and heart-broken back home? All the great food, entertainment, and breath-taking scenery suddenly seemed pretty insignificant in comparison to losing a wonderful friend. And, very selfishly, I must confess that I was a little angry that God had allowed Ken to come to Him before I had a chance to see him one more time. (I know, it’s petty thinking, but I go there once in a while!)

But then God did something wonderful! He reminded me who Ken is, who I am, and who all us are who have put our faith in Jesus!
In 2 Corinthians 5:1-5 (NIV) Paul says:
1 Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, 3 because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4 For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Here are some pretty significant questions that may help us remember who we are in Jesus:

1) Do you see yourself as an eternal soul, just living temporarily in this “tent” of a body?
If true, do you think of yourself as getting old & worn out? Do you in the “baby boomer” generation act like “old curmudgeons”?
OR, do you use each day to grow your soul close to God & others, seeing your life as just the beginning of an eternal adventure in God’s vast universe?
As surely as I look at this computer screen, I have complete assurance that my friend Ken IS alive NOW, maybe more than ever, in the very presence of God! And note, he is not there because he was a great guy (which he was!); Ken is there because he trusted in the death and resurrection of Jesus, receiving forgiveness for his sinfulness, and accepting the free gift of eternal, amazing life that Jesus offers to everyone.

This thought leads us to an even more amazing question:

2) Do we remember, biblically, that most of eternity will be spent on a new earth, not in heaven?
Revelation 21:1-5 (NIV)
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” 5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

Even most Christians don’t understand this! Yes, when we die in the Lord now, we go to heaven temporarily to be with God. But the Bible teaches that soon Jesus will judge the earth, then create a new heaven and earth, and that we will then have new, immortal, resurrection bodies and live with God on the new earth! Jesus came to earth to reverse the effects of sin, and restore us to a pure, wonderful relationship with God, each other, and with creation!
We were created to be “earth people!” And we will someday live in a new earth, maybe very much like this one, except without any sin and all the destructive effects of sin. And, God will come down out of heaven and live with us, all the time!

3) Do you really want to live forever? More significantly, do you want to live forever on a new earth, WITH GOD?
I don’t think we can begin to imagine life on this “new earth”, and having God actually dwell with us! We will have new bodies that won’t get sick or die. There will be nations and diverse races of people, but we won’t hate or fight anymore, because sin will be banished from this new place! In many ways, it is like a “do over” of the way God intended us to live originally in the Garden of Eden!
Maybe there will be a new, improved Alaska, where we go time & time again to enjoy with God! And with our new bodies, maybe can actually climb the mountains and kayak the beautiful rivers without getting tired.
I’m hoping there will be amazing golf courses on the new earth, and we will enjoy playing even if we aren’t that good. My friend Ken was a great golfer, and I really hope we have a chance to play many new rounds on the new earth!

Does this sound like a place you want to live, forever? Can you imagine living in the very presence of God, and praising him for his amazing love for us and for the beautiful world he created for us to live in?
The Bible tells us we have all have a choice to accept Jesus’ offer of forgiveness for our sin, and trust him to with our lives and our future. Just pray today and ask him to forgive your sins, trust him with your life now and for the future, and he promises that his own Holy Spirit will then dwell within us and help us become more like him, inheriting this new life and world in his presence!
But, the Bible also teaches that we can choose NOT to accept his offer! We can choose to be our own “god” and live our own life without him. And if we choose that route, Jesus says he will honor that choice and we will be separated from him and the new earth forever, and will be living in an eternal Hell with those who also choose that route!
Now, knowing the 2 choices, it seems like a pretty easy, “no brainer” decision to be with Jesus forever. But Jesus said many won’t make that choice. I pray that you will choose Jesus’ free offer of an eternal, amazing life with him on the “new earth”! I look forward to seeing you there and enjoying the wonderful life God offers us all.
Choose wisely!