In this time side of life, we always seem to have some date penciled in on our calendar. Something we’re looking forward to in the days ahead: a graduation, a date set for a career promotion, a vacation, and yes, a wedding day. Many others have dates set on the calendar that are troubling, hurtful, and sorrowful: the date when a sentence will be handed down in a court of law, a date for a diagnostic health test, or a date when a beloved family member is funeralized and laid to rest. Dates matter, rather it’s an occasion for joy or mourning.
For the baptized believer, is there a more significant date – or moment in time – when we transition from life to our promised eternal reward? It’s what we’re praying for, living for, working for, and waiting for – in God’s time. Ann Ross Cousins was a British poet, musician, and song writer. Before her death on December 6, 1906, she wrote several popular hymns that are treasured to this very day. Her best-known hymn, “The Sands of Time Are Sinking,” has captured the hearts of millions. The very first verse sets the stage for all that follows. “The sands of time are sinking, the dawn of Heaven breaks…” Great song and great hope!
Heaven! No matter what you’re going through, or dealing with in time, stay laser focused on heaven. Wake up thinking about heaven, think about heaven throughout the day, and sleep restfully thinking about it. This was Paul’s reminder: “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. (Philippians 3:20).
No doubt, we have some significant dates penciled in on our calendars. But child of God, make sure that as you travel through time, even in the year 2024, keep the hope of heaven stamped deeply in your heart. And yes, it’s worth living for and waiting for. by Van H. Hardin