Do you ever think about heaven? About being in the presence of our Savior? Do you ever think of the pure happiness and joy? The lack of pain and sorrow. The freedom from the Fall? Maybe you think of the streets of gold, and the pearly gates. Do you also think of who will be with you?
We know not everyone that we have spent time with on this earth will be there (Matt 7:21). We know that some of the people we love greatly now, will not be there. That breaks my heart. In fact, “break” doesn’t even describe it. I am sure it breaks yours too. How will there be no sorrow and pain in eternity if the people I love are not there to share it with me? I don’t know all the answers to that question, but I do know that I may be able to have an impact on who hears the good news about Jesus.
As a church we just finished up Vision Cast 2023. We returned to Lakeside Bible camp after 6 years. I am sure the experience was different for each of us that attended, but for me personally I walked away with this: I REALLY NEEDED THAT. I didn’t even know I needed that. I’ve been to Vision Cast multiple times and know the drill pretty well. For me this wasn’t my most spiritual or most social Vision Cast. If I had to put a word on it, it was my most comforting Vision Cast. Time away without all the distractions of the world and community. Time with my King and with friends and family that love Him, some of whom I met for the first time.
It was a very small, imperfect glimpse of what heaven will be like… and my heart hurt for all the people I longed to have beside me that were not.
I would like to change that. I bet you would like to change that too. So, let’s make a commitment today to each other. Let’s invite just one of our family, friends, neighbors, or co-workers to be part of our community at AC3. God loves them so much that he gave his only Son to die for their sins so that those same family, friends, neighbors and co-workers shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). I love them enough to invite them to meet Jesus. We have one year till the next Vision Cast. Let’s fill the room with those people!
Love
Scott
(AC3 Elder)
