Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Philippians 1:27 (NLT)
One of my favorite memories with my son, Paxton, happened on Christmas Day several years ago. Overnight our Arkansas land was blessedly dumped on by nearly two feet of snow, and we woke to a winter wonderland that filled this Chicago native’s heart. That afternoon our family of four bundled up and went sledding down our sloped backyard.
If we doubled up and got going fast enough we could careen nearly down to the lake several hundred yards below. Energized and warmed by the climb back up, Paxton and I had nearly reached the top when we both dropped to the snow and rolled on our backs to look at the white sky. How still and beautiful it was, and what a precious memory those moments are, sharing the wonder with him.
I love looking at the sky and marveling about heaven and wondering what it, my true home, will be like. This verse fascinates me because it commands us to live as if we’re already citizens of heaven. What does that encompass? Well, since heaven is the Lord’s throne room, it is a place of royalty. And since Jesus conquered death, it is also a place of victory. Therefore, it seems to me that citizens of heaven ought to shine on this earth with the dignity of royalty and the assurance of winners.
Jesus’ followers have the privilege of living confidently and with nothing to prove. Our victory in Him is certain; our place in His world is secure. In the stillness of that wintery Christmas day, with my precious family having fun together and the scenery glittering like diamonds, I had a clearer vision of the glorious vista heaven will be as home one day and forever. I felt my spirit lift as a victorious daughter of the King.
Faith step: What in this world makes you think about heaven? How is your countenance affected as you live in the understanding that you have such place awaiting you if you know Jesus as Savior?
