[376 words]
Thirty years ago, on a Sunday morning, I was in a 15-passenger van with a deacon of the local congregation picking up kids to bring them to Bible study. I remember it as if it were yesterday. The van was packed to the gills with children, and my job was crowd control. It must have been a full moon the night before and the kids must have had extra sugar in their cereal that morning, for they were rowdy and getting out of hand. As a fairly young and somewhat inexperienced Christian, I was doing the best I could, but was losing the battle. Luther, who was driving the van and was a song leader as well as a deacon, turned to his vast repertoire of songs and said to me with a big smile on his face, “Remember Edd, heaven will surely be worth it all.”
I have taken the lesson learned that day with me all of my Christian life. There have been many times when things weren’t going my way and I would harken back to that day and those words: “Heaven will surely be worth it all.” When you have to deal with that difficult person again, remember: “Heaven will surely be worth it all.”
When you have that task to do that brings dread, remember: “Heaven will surely be worth it all.” When that temptation comes that is difficult to deal with, remember: “Heaven will surely be worth it all.” When hard times hit and hope seems far away, remember: “Heaven will surely be worth it all.” When you want to give up, give in, or give out, don’t! Just remember: “Heaven will surely be worth it all.”
Read 1 Pet. 1:3-9 very carefully. Soak it in. Let it give you the strength to keep you going no matter what happens. Trials? Tribulations? Turmoil? Hang in there, Christian, and even smile! You can make it through it, and Heaven will surely be worth it all!
“Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless ” (2 Pet. 2:13-14).
Edd Sterchi
Broadway church of Christ
Campbellsville, KY