Longing for Paradise?

I heard one of the most convicting messages on Saturday morning at a training session for working in our kid's ministry at church.

We sometimes think of or portray Jesus as only a means to get to Heaven.

Everyone has a picture of Heaven in their mind. For some it's harps and angels and clouds and candy; for others, italian greyhounds, family, and friends.

One thing is usually missing from our view of this paradise: Jesus.

Jesus isn't our ticket into heaven. We quote Jesus a lot saying "I am the way, and the truth, and the life" -- but we often paraphrase the next part and just say Jesus is the only way to get to Heaven.

However, the Bible clearly says ... "no one comes TO THE FATHER, except through Me" (John 14:6).

This idea was confirmed to me when I was in church this morning. A couple was sharing activities they did with their kids to teach them about Jesus, and the first one was a challenge. They put something at the top of the stairs ($20, he said) and said, "You can have that, but you have to get there without stepping on the stairs." After many failed attempts at climbing the walls, the daughter asks her dad to carry her up the stairs, which doesn't break the rule because SHE isn't touching the stairs. The dad related himself to Jesus and that Jesus is the only way to get to Heaven ...

A great lesson ... but the goal is not to get to Heaven. Our daily goal is to seek Christ. The prize shouldn't be a magical paradise.

God is the prize. TO BE WITH GOD.

While on the cross, Jesus looks to thief beside Him and says, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43). I think all too often we dream about and focus on the paradise and forget that His emphasis is on the "WITH ME" part.