5 Ways Heaven will be like a High School Reunion

Recently, I attended my 25th high school reunion. To be blunt, I had a blast.  I would imagine, it wasn't unlike the typical high school reunion for small towns. Everybody knows everybody. Not to sound cliché, but the more things change, the more they stay the same. If you tried hard enough , I guess you could find something wrong with it. The food was good but it wasn't fantastic. It wasn't a spectacular venue. I'm told we didn't have the budget for the Taj Mahal. It was less than perfect. Not the sort of atmosphere where you would expect to catch a glimpse of heaven. But, like so many spiritual lessons, God's truth parallels much of our everyday lives. Here's some ways heaven will be like our high school reunion.

There's a lot of planning involved: These things don't just happen. Every celebration event involves a great deal of planning. It is where the guest list starts. The celebration in heaven won't be an exception. The banquet in heaven was planned from the foundation of the world.

A sacrifice must take place to accomplish the setting: At most high school reunions,  people get to attend an event that most put no effort into creating. Don't overlook this. Someone sacrificed their time and energy for your benefit. Even though, you didn't ask them. Likewise, Jesus has sacrificed everything so we can come to Him.

Everybody was invited, but only a few come: Only 20% of our original class showed up. I bet that's about normal. The 80- 20 rule works in about everything. I hope Jesus does better with his party. The word is it will be "few". For just a moment at the reunion, I was kinda sad. I wanted to see some people I hadn't seen in awhile. That  didn't prevent us from having a great time. To be clear, there will be no sadness in heaven. So, I probably won't know if you don't make it, but indulge me the similes. At the reunion, people I thought wouldn't make it came while others I was sure would be there, were not.  I bet heaven will be the same.

Excuses will be made for missing it : Life has to take precedence over a reunion. There were some legitimate reasons for not making them. I get that. Still, let's be honest, some people just don't want to be there. Pick any excuse you want. If you'd like, you can double down with them for not attending church as well.  Does this sound like them? " There will be hypocrites and fake people there." "I don't make enough money". "I don't have the time." "I need my rest". My personal favorite is" I haven't forgiven so and so for what they did to me." That one could keep you away from a reunion and out heaven. We don't force people we love to spend time with us. Neither will Jesus. He will let you miss heaven if you want to.

If you want to attend, you need to RSVP: You can't just show up to a reunion. Preparations need to be made to accommodate you. Simply put, you'll have to respond to the invitation. Heaven's RSVP is done in the form of rebirth. It comes  through repentance and confession of a faith in Jesus Christ. There's no other way to attend the grand celebration. You coming? 

Little Things Learned

A year ago today, I underwent brain surgery and was diagnosed with a rare cancer. It's an odd blessing, a brain tumor. Here's some of the year's revelations and lessons.

People will surprise you. You'll never know how caring or how inconsiderate some can be until you are sick. I promise you'll cry tears of joy and sorrow.

Miracles still happen. Too many to count. Here is the top two. A tumor they said was too close to the carotid artery to resect is a 100% gone. Our financial needs were met miraculously. Praise God.

God will send you. Sometimes, where you don't want to go. I would never have went to Boston except for this tumor. There were people who were saved and lives changed because of it. I'm still humbled by that.

Make God sized Goals. The Broken Vessel has had 10,000 or so page views in the past 12 months.  My testimony of Christ has been shared in 25 nations so far. Speaking has been the icing on the cake. God makes BIG deals out of simple obedience.

Expect God sized test if you make God sized goals. Expect Satan to show up. Praise God for every obstacle he brings. Read Romans 8:28 for why.

Pray Big Prayers. The way God may answer them might be overwhelming. It might scare you half to death. But it will be worth it.