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Recently our family took a trip to Chicago to visit the Shedd Aquarium. As parents, we’ve come to learn that we need to be intentional about when we reveal surprises to our kids. If we do it too early, we’re going to get asked the same question endlessly for weeks on end.   

This time we didn’t tell the kids until we had them safely strapped in the van. Suzanne and I were convinced that the kids would be thrilled by our surprise 

“Guys! We’re going to Chicago to visit an Aquarium!”  

“What?! An aquarium?!” They exploded with great exuberance and cheer. And then they got quiet. And then they asked a series of questions that were completely irrelevant to the great news I just gave them. Their enthusiasm was short-lived.  

I’ll have to admit, I felt a bit short-changed by their reaction to my brilliant idea! 

And so I tried to explain to them what the Aquarium would be like in accessible language. I pulled out my phone and showed them videos of the aquarium. In the end, I appealed to them: guys, if Dad normally has really fun surprises, don’t you think that this one will be cool, too? I was resolute that they should have an appropriate reaction to this trip. 

It struck me that in some ways this is a picture of the Christian life. God in the gospel has planned glorious things for his children! He has given us the free gift of righteousness which leads to eternal life (Rom. 5:21). We will enjoy eternal life with glorified bodies that will not grow weak or get sick (1 Cor. 15). We will enjoy glorified company with all the saints of God (Heb. 12:23). We will enjoy a glorious Savior who desired that we should be with him to see him in his glory (John 17:24) 

Even though we don’t deserve it, our Heavenly Father announces these glorious, gracious plans for us in the Bible. To speak plainly: it should knock our socks off!     

And yet, while we may respond with initial enthusiasm, this quickly fades and our interests are taken up by other things. “I’m hungry!” “I’m bored!” “I’m uncomfortable!” “He’s bothering me!” You and I aren’t so different from my kids strapped into the back seat.  

There are reasons for this. We’re sinners, still plagued by weak faith and unbelief. Like my kids, we also don’t have categories to comprehend what lays ahead of us and so we’re easily distracted.  

Unlike me though, God doesn’t feel obligated to remedy our weak responses because he has some need to fill in himself. He’s not looking for our validation because he needs it. He doesn’t!   

God does want to fill us with joyful anticipation along the journey. This is what will be good for us—giving us joy, motivating us in obedience—and what will glorify him; and so, God graciously condescends to us, explaining in the Bible in language we can understand what He has planned.  

Though he doesn’t show us videos, He gives us glimpses and tastes and snapshots of what it will be like. He does this when we gather on Sundays for worship together, anticipating when all of God’s people will sing our victory song in the New Heavens and the New Earth. He gives us the Lord’s Supper, which is an appetizer to prepare us for feasting at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19).  

And God ultimately calls us to trust in his character. Is he not a good, loving Father who gives good gifts to his children? Though we journey onward by faith and not by sight, we trust that if God would willingly send his Son to die for us, then the future that awaits us cannot be mundane. It must be “glory beyond all comparison” (2 Cor. 4:17; Rom. 8:18).  

Since God is a good Father, and since he has promised us that he has prepared a better, heavenly country for us, let’s heed his voice. Let’s trust his promises. Let’s ask him to help increase our joyful anticipation to reflect the glories he has in store for us.  

 

In His Service,

Pastor Wayne Veenstra

1 Comment

Thanks for the pep talk. I have had more pain this week so thinking of eternity reminds me how temporary this is.

Been wandering if the kids were excited about the trip.

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