A strange thought entered my head this morning as I ironed my pants for work. It had nothing to do with ironing my pants, old military traditions die hard and I’ve always ironed my own clothes. It was a little deeper than that, anyway. It started at church last night and specifically with a song I led the congregation in. I’m the Music Director at my church – it’s what I do. The song is entitled “Mansion Over The Hilltop’ and most churches today rarely (if ever) sing that tune anymore. The song was stuck in my head yesterday afternoon and so I chose it for one of the congregational songs during the service last night.
No, fire did not fall from the sky and angels did not descend into our midst as we sang about a bright land where we’ll never grow old. In fact, if anything it was a little weak and really didn’t quite go along the pastor’s message that he brought afterward. Knowing the latter, you would probably think that the Holy Spirit had nothing to do with the selection of the song, and at face value, you would probably be right. I’m a frail, earthen vessel and I’ve been known to get it wrong from time to time.
But it stayed on my mind and I even caught myself humming the tune on the way home from church and also later last night as I went to bed. A mansion just over the hill top, do tell! Jesus told His disciples, “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” What a perfect thought - death is not the end but only the beginning of a totally new and grand adventure that awaits us!
I like to key-in on the part where He says ‘many mansions’. That’s what the song says as well – I’ve got a mansion. It’s waiting for me. It is going to be located in a place steeped with perfection, with no flaws, no pain, no sickness, and no disease. No harsh words will ever be spoken there; there will be neither sin nor any temptations to be encountered in that land of perfect day. It will all be the way it was supposed to be – like it was back in the garden, where we will live and walk with our Creator, and we will know Him face to face as one would know their best friend.
So back to the ironing… my wife woke up and gave me a hug on her way to the kitchen to make our coffee. (We got sugar this week!) She always hugs me there by the ironing board in the morning. It’s not me; it is her admiration for the perfection in my ironing that always stops her in her tracks. Anyway, I reminded her about those mansions that await us in Heaven and told her that after much thought, I did not want one of my very own. I wanted to share one with her if she didn’t mind. Because after all, eternity is like... well... eternity you know?
Shannon, what makes you think about stuff like this? Are you daft in the head?
No. We are in the process of getting ready for a wedding this week. My oldest daughter is going to walk the aisle and I’ll probably write more on that subject as the time draws nearer. I’m happy for her because I’m sure she has found her perfect match. They ‘fit’ each other and share the same likes and dislikes; a daddy can recognize these things and we actually look for them in areas where our daughters are concerned. Most of all, it is obvious that they love each other and enjoy each other’s company, and they work things out when problems arise.
What I’m hoping, what I’m praying for is this: I hope the two of them will feel the same way about each other as Kim and I do. As the years go steadily by my wish is for them to grow closer, to a point to where they can’t live without each other even considering the auspiciousness of the eternal realm. Smile if you want, or nod your head and roll your eyes. I know there is no Biblical principle/basis for what I feel about my wife, or my children for that matter. But I hope they can share their love and feel that love returned to them in the same manner regardless. Life on earth, at least, is so much better that way.
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