Looking Toward Heaven

Hebrews 11:10 (NIV)

For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

"Daddy, put me on your shoulders and let me touch Grandma's hand!" The little girl said.

Daddy bent down, turned her around, and lifted her high above his head until she was safely positioned on his shoulders.

"I can see tomorrow up here, Daddy," she said.

"You can?" He asked. "What does it look like?" He questioned her.

"Just like today, but more pretty!" She giggled.

"Now hold on, Jenny. I'm going up on top of this hill. When I tell you to, stretch your arms way up and you can touch her hand."

He carefully walked up on top of the small hill just behind the bench I was sitting on. The softball fans sit there each evening during the spring and summer watching the local players compete. But today this hill served a higher purpose.

For this is a spot where memories are made. This is a moment between parent and child that gets filed away in memories for tomorrows yet to come. Perhaps when this young girl will hold her babe high upon her shoulders and together they will reach for Grandpa's hand, just like when she was a child.

He came down to sit as his daughter played nearby. He shared with a man sitting there that Jenny was very close to his mom, who died a few months ago.

"Jenny said she wanted to hold hands with Grandma like she always did. I told her Grandma was in heaven, out of reach,"

"Jenny told me that heaven is in tomorrow. If she climbed way up high she could see it and touch Grandma's hand."

"Why did she say that Heaven was in tomorrow?", the man asked

"Well, the last time she saw Grandma, she told Jenny that one day soon she would go to heaven. Of course Jenny wanted to know when. Mom said 'Maybe tomorrow, Jenny. She died two days later."

"So, then, heaven is in tomorrow,"

"So does she feel Grandma's hand?"

"Yes, very much so. In fact..." he paused when his daughter came running up to him.

"I'll be right there, Jenny."

Jenny is such a beautiful child. You look at her and think "buttons and bows" like a little girl in a story book.

He continued. "One day when we did this, she stretched out her arms and said, "Daddy, I can feel her hand!" Of course I played along and asked if it were soft like I remember."

"She then said, 'Yes, Daddy.

I thought a lot about this today. I asked myself a hundred times. So I'll ask you. Based on who you are. Knowing more about you than anyone else. Having whatever faith you may have in yourself, your God. Can you see "Heaven in tomorrow?" If you believe just reach up right now and touch it

Dear Lord, We thank You for the promise of Heaven.  We pray that as we look forward to heaven that we would take the time to share the great hope with those around us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.