KEY SA#8: A FUTURE OUT OF THIS WORLD

Today is my mother's birthday, Nov. 28th.  As I write this, I picture her in heaven strolling along the streets of gold with my father, hand in hand, as they so often were in this world.  Maybe Jesus is walking with them and they are chatting about all the prayers He answered for them when they resided for a short time in Earth . . . only 86 years for my mom and 96 for my dad. . . not much time when compared to Eternity.   Or maybe they are talking about their children and grandchildren still living here and asking for His protection and guidance for us.  Who knows?

Last week, I blogged about our fabulous trip to Cancun to celebrate the wedding of our oldest son, K, and his beautiful bride, M.  Now I am remembering the luxury of the resort where we stayed.  Every room had a canopy bed and a jacuzzi.  Our deck overlooked one of the huge pools surrounded by coconut and other palm trees.  Gorgeous bushes produced a lavish display of deep rose blooms and green and purple leaves lined walkways.  Gourmet meals were constantly available at the many restaurants as a tempting treat for our tongues.  Yes, it was expensive, although we got a deal because of the wedding.  But it was well worth it!

What is it about us humans that we are attracted so easily to luxury?  At least, most of us seem to be!  It is because of greed?  Or discontent?  Or a legitimate desire to rest from our daily problems and be served for a while?  Or is it a part of our longing for Home?  For no costly luxury available on this Earth can begin to compare to the richness and glorious splendor of Heaven's Home.  And our Home in Heaven is FREE!  It's already paid for by our Savior Jesus Christ.  At least, a reservation is made for each of us who have confessed our sins and accepted Jesus payment in full for our transgressions . . . our rebellion . . . by His death on the cross of Calvary.  No place we go, nothing we do in this world can satisfy us in a permanent way, for humans were made to find their greatest pleasure and satisfaction in a relationship with their Creator .  I think we each long for that Abundant Life of perfection that God originally designed for the people He created.  And some of us are searching for it in the wrong places, rather than surrendering to the will of the God who made us and knows what will satisfy us perfectly.  Even though it may seem "too good to be true," the fabulous, forever future God has in store for His children will be better than any of us can imagine.

This Christmas season, I hope each of you can be certain or make certain in your hearts that your eternal future will truly be "out of this world spent with the One who loves you more than anyone else."

KEY SA $7: GOD'S PLAN . . . ONE WOMAN, ONE MAN

I just returned home from my oldest son's wedding at a fabulous tropical resort near Cancun.  Once again, I am awestruck by the wisdom of God's plan . . . one woman for one man.  God, Himself, originated the incredibly fulfilling union of a husband and wife in the marriage relationship intended to display, among other things, the character of God.

As I write this, my brain is foggy due to fatigue resulting from traveling and celebrating.  So I hope for your sake my thoughts file together in a normal progression tonight!  But here is what is on my mind . . .

Aside from God's obvious intention to institute marriage as a way to propagate the human race and fill the earth with people He created, I see several more reasons for the establishment of marriage as a base for the family unit.

First of all, God says in Genesis 2:27, "And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."  All the male and female characteristics are embodied in the character of God.  Man alone cannot claim to reflect the whole image of God by his personality.  Nor can woman.  Only when the two are joined in the holy state of matrimony can humanity truly reflect even a small representation of God's completeness.

Which brings us to the concept of balance in the home . . . of God's plan for parenting children.  Due to our imperfect world, death and divoorce often place a father or mother in the challenging role of a single parent.  I was one myself for two years.  But God's s ideal intention was to provide both a male and female role model for children in the home.  A woman cannot be both a mother and a father.  Nor can a man.

Male and female characteristics compliment each other to provide a stable and secure environment that can promote the normal emtional and spiritual development of a child.  God can and does "fill in the gaps" when needed, as in the examples cited above.  But we can only succeed as a culture if we commit to live in obedience to His design for marriage.

Finally, apart from the union of a man and woman, there is no natural, God-ordained way to produce children.  As I watched my son and his bride standing under the canopy, holding hands and exchanging vows, bubbly sparks of love and delight flew from eye to eye.  The strong male physic of the groom enhanced the soft, gentle form of his bride.  Their physical differences filled out the picture .  They "fit" together.  Since his original ploy for deception in the Garden of Eden, Satan has been attempting to distort God's perfect plan for the people He created.  Through the distortion of marriage, Satan attempts to thwart God's plan for procreation.

We will find God's ways to be victorious at the end of time.  May we as a people choose to follow His ways now.