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Trying to collect a few comments, or a few thousand, to twist the arm of a publisher to take notice of a book worth putting out there. Spread it to your friends like a toddler spreads snot…..:)

Luke 23:43 “Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

In our Good Friday service later this week, different people have been asked to give a 3 or 4 minute thought on the 7 last words of Jesus Christ.  The verse here is what I’ve been asked to speak on.  I’d love to do a fuller fleshing out of so much that is packed in here, but for time/worship purposes, will probably end up reading a poem-thing I’m writing from it.

I’ve posted on the topic before, mainly copying from an interview where NT Wright spoke on the difference between “heaven” as we think of it, and where we believe God is ultimately taking/directing all things toward.  As seen in the above verse, we do not believe that “paradise” is the final resting place for either Jesus or the man hanging on the cross next to him. 

1 Thessalonians 4:16 reminds us that “the dead in Christ will rise”, which means even those who have already passed from life as we know it, await further happenings.  But the verse mentioned from Luke assures us they are not simply stored away somewhere, frozen in time.  We believe, and scriptures point to an existence for those who have passed away, that is fully present with Christ, described as “paradise”, and yet still waiting for God to complete His work fully.  That is, the work of bringing a New Heaven and a New Earth together, married in a way that all things have become new.  Those who have died, and those living, will receive new “resurrection” bodies (similar to the existence we see in the resurrected Christ).

So what is it like in paradise?

The word used here, denotes a place of rest and refreshing.  A garden-like place.  But we read this verse from a different vantage point than the man hanging next to Christ.  He knew what “paradise” meant, but may not have known who Jesus was.  We lack a first-hand knowledge of what Jesus means by “paradise”, but we know who Jesus is.  It is enough for us, to know what where we rest between death and resurrection, is in the full presence of Jesus Christ.  Whether we play hockey and drink coffee, tend a garden, or float around in orbs of light – obviously I have opinions and preferences….but I’m not too worried…

It’s kinda neat to know that whatever he’s up to….great great great grandpa and I are both anxiously awaiting the full arrival of God’s complete renewal of all things. (great great great grandma too, for that matter)

Rewind the clock about 7 months.  We’ve got a flat tire, and I’m looking around at options to see how much it’d cost to simply make the van “drivable”.  In the midst of this, my wife calls me to say a house she really loved has come down in price recently, and she wants to know if we could go look at it together.  I will pause here to tell you – looking at houses is definitely NOT a hobby of mine.  But I love my wife.  She bears with me during playoff season, and I walk through a house once in a great while.  I mustered up as much cynical love as possible to say, “Sure hun, let’s find out how much we owe to get new tires, and if it’s not too depressing, we’ll go walk through a house with no expectations.” 🙂  I figured I was off the hook. 

Through the kindness of a church friend, we had 2 used but good condition tires installed free of charge.  His actual words – “Go take your family out for lunch.”  Yes sir.  But little did he know the wheels he was used to set in motion.

We looked at the house.  I’ll admit, it was pretty sweet.  Almost twice as much room.  A dining room.  Sidewalks for the girls.  Neighbors that were extra neighborly.  Closets as big as small rooms.  A fireplace.  But to try and sell our house in this market?   To try and increase our mortgage even slightly on our fixed one-income budget?  Again, with cynicism, I agreed we would put our house on the market, and see if this house might be work-out-able. 

Time passed.  Our contingency offer expired, and they wouldn’t sign a second one.  Someone else made an offer and they accepted.  They were working toward closing.

That closing never happened, and the house was back on the market.  Sarah was leaving for the Philippines.  Maybe when she got back to the States, we’d figure out some way to put fliers up around town, you know, really ramp up our sales techniques.  But while she was gone, someone wanted to walk through.  Decided we may as well show even though it’s probably another “no thanks”.  Then an offer came. 

Picture taken in early Fall 2010

We began working it all out on paper, and honestly didn’t know exactly where the dust would settle.  But here we are, paying $10 less each month for our mortgage, for soooo much more house.  (Interest rates CAN be your friend.)  Still a lot of unpacking to do.  Still quite a few things on our lists to make it “home”.  Definitely some projects around the house.  But we still can’t believe how it has all come together. 

I hear stories like this, and people say “But we prayed, and then…”  I will not claim to bend the heart of God that He should act in our favor.  But I also cannot deny that we gave every step of this, including our financial frustrations from the very beginning, in His hands.  If anything, maybe he’s a bit taken by our kids.  They are pretty stinkin’ cute.  Thanks God.