Here Today, Gone Tomorrow…Hopefully

I know a story that I’ve heard. I think it’s a true story. It’s a good story, so it bears repeating.

An old missionary couple were returning, on a ship, from a life spent in missionary work. They were old and tired. They had spent their whole life in the field, serving God, and now it was time to go home. While, on the ship, there was a famous passenger aboard, with them. It was Teddy Roosevelt, the President of the United States, coming home from an African Safari, trip. There was much celebration on board, for the President. No one noticed the old missionary couple. No one celebrated them and all their years of service for God. When the ship landed, a ticker tape parade was thrown in honor of the president returning home. The old missionary couple quietly left the ship and went to an old apartment building which would be their new home. The old missionary became upset when they arrived to their new home. “How come nobody celebrated us?” he asked his wife. “How come nobody celebrated us coming home?” “That’s not fair! We’ve spent years serving God and we don’t get a parade!” The missionary’s wife calmly told him he needed to take up the matter with God. Ask God those questions she told him. So he did. He went into the tiny, dusty bedroom and prayed. An hour or so, he came out, cheerful. He was a different man! His wife commented on this and asked him what the change was. The missionary responded, “I asked God why we didn’t get a parade.” His wife, eager to know the answer said, “And?” And the missionary turned to his wife and said, “We’re not home yet.”

For the believer, we often forget, we aren’t home yet. Earth is not our home or our final destination (thankfully!!!) When the world and all it’s cares bog us down, don’t forget, we’re not home yet. When your boss treats you like crap. When you see people around you getting rewards for all kinds of things, just remember, we’re not home yet. Our time will come, when we die. Like my mom always says, “Death for the Christian is just a promotion.” That’s when the good stuff happens. That’s where we get rewards. That’s where we go, where ‘neither moth or rust destroy.’

And boy does time seem to fly. I’m a middle aged woman with one teenager and another that’s about to turn twenty. I can’t be middle aged, but I am. I can’t be a mother to almost grown adults, but when I see the size 12 shoes sitting by the door, I’m reminded that I am. When my 6′ 3″ son thunders through the house, I realize this boy’s almost grown. Just yesterday, he had chubby little legs and a high squeaky voice. I couldn’t tell the difference between my son’s voice or daughter’s voice on the phone. They both sounded the same. Not anymore.

Matthew 6:20 “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth or rust destroy, and where thieves do not break in or steal.”

So take heart, dear Christian. When you feel frustrated with this whole world, remember, you’re aren’t home yet. Just wait. It’s gonna get good. And it’s gonna go by really fast.

Psalm 103:15 “As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.”