Todd and I are moving (again). There are a few things that excite me about moving. I love to “make a home” and the prospect of a new space is intriguing. We like meeting new people and getting to know new neighbors, and always, the gospel is at the forefront of our thinking. Each place we live is an opportunity to live out our Christian faith boldly and with grace, looking for ways to weave the gospel into our conversations and show the love of Christ through our words, actions, and attitudes.

One of the most challenging things about moving, however, is the packing up of our belongings. I don’t really mind the process … I love “purging” and “cleaning out” what we don’t really use or need. When you start boxing up your stuff, you realize how quickly things can accumulate, and how much of a hold they can have on you. It’s freeing to let go of what you don’t really need. But the actual chore of packing boxes and moving them to a new location is simply hard work.

There’s another “move” coming for all of us. Death is inevitable; our human bodies just aren’t made for eternity. One day, we all will lay aside this physical flesh and be transported to our new home, to one of two places that God has prepared: heaven or hell. For those of us who have accepted His great gift of mercy and grace and put our faith in the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for our sins, we will enter heaven, to be with our Creator and Savior in the home He has gone to prepare for us.

John 14:1-2 – In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

Those who reject Jesus as Lord and Savior will not be granted entrance to a new home in heaven. Instead, they will make their final move to a place called hell, eternally separated from God, who loved them and desired them to repent and believe.

John 3:16-18 – For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Here’s the thing…we can’t take anything with us. When they lay our bodies in the ground, we will leave behind everything we’ve accumulated or believe we’ve accomplished in our own strength. The only thing that will count is whether (or not) our spirit and soul have been clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

What are you “packing” for eternity?

What do you think is “essential” for the next life?

If it’s anything other than Jesus, you might as well take it to the dump today.

NO PACKING!

This world is filled with much transition;

No one stays in a fixed position.

They move about going hither and yon,

Staying nowhere for very long.

They accumulate treasures, and what we call stuff,

But seems they never can get enough. 

Each time they move, they pack it up:

Everything from the bed to the coffee cup. 

They pay good money to store the rest.

It is not good enough; they want the best.

But man’s days are few, and he soon will find

One move he makes leaves it all behind. 

We brought nothing in at the time of our birth,

And we’ll take nothing out when we leave this earth.

I heard good news about when we die;

We don’t have to pack for our home in the sky. 

No stuff to store – no stuff to buy;

We’ll leave it all for our home in the sky.

What we treasure here grows ugly and old.

What awaits us in Heaven will shine as pure gold.

No bags to pack, no trucks to rent

When life is over, and our time is spent. 

The best news of all, where nothing we will lack

We will rise in the clouds without having to pack.

(Written by Judy Proffitt, my sweet and talented mom)