The Kingdom of Heaven is Like....

Jesus used parables to engage the imaginations of the people in His time. A good storyteller always does.

Here in the 21st traveling century with iTunes, iPods, iPhones, WiFi, Blackberries (the ones you can't eat) and Hemi engines (I think it means more if you live in Texas) there must be some new analogies to draw from that post-modern culture and the metro-sexual would understand.

"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a corn field" just doesn't translate in a world of Internet and Hi Def TV.

Today as I was boarding yet another airplane (destination home) I experienced the usual relief of a job well done, mission accomplished, and all the comforts and normal things that were waiting for me at the end of my twelve hour odyssey.

Fifty thousand feet, ten hours, close to six thousand miles this leg of the journey and after the mandatory pass through customs and a short drive I will be home.

The flight agent stood taking boarding passes. I handed her mine and out popped a small white square. She looked up and said, "Miss J, you have been upgraded today to Business Class."

I couldn't believe my ears! The Germans don't let go of those passes readily. At first I wanted to hide my newly upgraded and undeserved status. But I couldn't -I was traveling with friends. I went to the counter and inquired of my companion - I wanted someone to experience this joy with.

WOW - she had been upgraded too! Now things were really looking up. We thought of the meals, the seats, the leg room, the service. We were downright giddy and overcome with the whole unexpected nature of our good fortune.

"Eye cannot see, nor ear hear or heart imagine all that God has in store for those who love Him."

We felt like we had "arrived"!

"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a free - unexpected - undeserved Business Class Upgrade."

There is a journey we must take - it may be familiar and hold it's own set of known promises.

We envision Heaven as a reunion with those we know have gone before, finally seeing the Master, beautiful scenery (or maybe just those big fluffy clouds). But I know (because the Bible tells me so) Heaven is so much more. And today, I had to smile as I played with the multi-function chair (up/down foot rests, back massage, ad infinitum it seemed) lean back, lay flat, add comfort to your lumbar spine area.

All the things in heaven we'll be playing with like giddy children who got way more than they knew they deserved!

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