One day when we were in El Salvador, a few of us hiked thirty minutes down a mountainside to see these waterfalls, jump off the cliffs into the pools they formed, and swim in the refreshingly cool water. It was a gorgeous day with wonderful company, and for a bit, we simply sat and enjoyed. I found myself mesmerized by the water’s reflection on the cliff wall. As the light bounced up to the wall, the stone itself seemed to be rippling. It seems silly to be so focused on a reflection of the water and not the water itself. I mean, it’s just a copy of the true beauty of the water’s surface. It isn’t even the real thing…
My mind was drawn back to a verse in Hebrews, something my team had studied just the day before:
“[The levitical priests] serve at a sanctuary that is only a copy and shadow of what is in heaven.” ~Hebrews 8:5 ESV
Just like the temple where God met with his people, every good thing here on earth is only a shadow of what is to come. Heaven is so much better than we could ever fully experience here on earth. Yet, I’ve idolized life events like going to the high school prom, getting married, traveling, having kids, having grandkids. I know these are all good gifts from my Father, meant for my enjoyment and His glory, but but idolizing them and it plays into a false fear of dying. To be clear, I’m not afraid that I’m going to hell – I’m confident that Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection paid the price for my sins and opened the door to heaven.
If you’re like me, you still have a hard time believing that heaven is better than your favorite days here on earth. That living in the full knowledge and presence of our God could be better than living in the presence of our family and friends here. If we truly believed that heaven is better, we would anticipate the opportunity to go there the same way a child anticipates going to Disneyland. It would consume our thoughts, we would be counting down the days until we got to go!
I want to live life that way, I don’t want to be content with being mesmerized by the reflection of the water on the cliff wall rather than experiencing the joy of the water. God has so much goodness just waiting for us! Our Savior himself has prepared a place for us (John 14:2-3) and longs for us to join him. His heart was so for us, that he sacrificed everything to open the way for us.
“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” ~Hebrews 10:19-23 ESV
I want to long for the day I will see my Savior face to face more than I long any day here on earth, to remember that even my most joyful experiences could never compare the joy of that day. That these moments, these good gifts from my Father, are only a shadow of the better things to come. Praise to the One that is forever offering my soul more!
