So, I’M the Only One Keeping ME From Heaven?
Inside: This is what the Bible says about getting into heaven.
It’s not about being a good person,
but it is up to you!
Did you know that? You are the only one keeping you from heaven.
Maybe you think God might not let you in for some reason. Or, you might think that God may not forgive you for that thing and that’s what would keep you from heaven.
Nope, that’s not the way it works. ❤️
Photo by Roger Bradshaw.
This is an excerpt from my book,
Mary Me: One Woman’s
Incredible Adventure with God.
With my tail between my legs, I avoided You-Know-Who until the long ride home.
Then I closed my eyes, leaned my head back on the car seat, and called on Fred (my nickname for God at the time).
Like the way I approach Mom with things, I wouldn’t tell Dad, I went to Fred instead of Jesus or God. Of course, they’re one and the same; this just spared me the awkwardness of telling the one who scares me most.
“Fred,” I said, “I’m sorry. Rick freaked me out. I should have come to You. Getting drunk was stupid and the easiest way to end up in trouble.”
In my mind’s eye, I saw Jesus smile.
Still, I addressed Fred. “Isn’t premarital sex the unforgivable sin?”
Seems like it, anyway, according to Mom.
But I know the Bible says, blaspheming the Holy Spirit is the unforgivable sin” (Mark 3:28-9, paraphrase of the Bible).
Jesus, the definition of patience, loved me. I could tell by the look on His face.
“What is blaspheming the Holy Spirit?”
My internal voice squeaked. Did I do it?
“It’s a fancy way of saying refusing Me.”
“Huh.” I chewed on the inside of my cheek.
“So, the only thing that can keep people from You
is themselves?”
“Yup.”
I squinted into the morning sun.
“John 3:16 says: ‘For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life’ ’’ (NLT).
“I love it when you quote the Bible to Me.” Jesus held His gaze on me, never turning away.
I blushed.
“So, if we come to You, we spend eternity together. If we refuse, we choose eternal life without You?”
“Yup.”
Like God sometimes does, He brought a recent conversation to mind . . .
. . . that I’d had with my three-year-old niece.
She has a surety in matters about God that blows me away.
As we lay in her bed together, we prayed: “Now I lay me down to sleep . . . and God bless . . . ” She listed everyone in her small world then asked, “How come Auntie Victoria doesn’t go to church?”
“She used to.” I kissed her forehead. “I guess she decided she didn’t want Jesus.”
With a simple yet profound observation, she pegged it.
“If Auntie Victoria knew who Jesus really was, she’d want Him.”
I think so, too.
Contrary to popular belief, God is our biggest cheerleader.
He’s not mad at you.
He loves you, and He’s the only one who will never leave you. But you get to pick if you want a relationship.
I believe existence is meant to be a love story.
We seek to be filled because we’re never complete in ourselves. God’s the only thing that fills the emptiness inside.
I’d been trying to name my quest for years without understanding that God’s the only thing that could.
When I gave Him a chance, I got what I believe He has for everyone, a unique and personal adventure that not only includes God but the destiny He wrote on each of our hearts.
It doesn’t come without challenge, because, well, a story without tension would be boring.
If we could ask Cinderella,
she’d tell us that living out a fairytale is harder than watching one on TV. But the thrill? We’d never get that from an armchair.
It turns out that happiness does come in relationship with the right guy.
I found my Prince Charming in Jesus, my very own freedom fighter, supernatural life coach, and Prince of Peace.
He comes through every time, saving me because He can’t not. That’s His nature.
And I’ve peeked ahead to the end of the story.
The Bible says He’s coming back to get us,
riding on a white horse;
no wonder that makes my heart skip a beat.
Whenever I speak to a group, I always ask,
“God, what is it You want me to say?”
Over and over, and as if for the first time,
He says, “Make sure . . .”
I lean in, curious, totally forgetting the last twenty times. “Make sure of what?”
“Make sure you tell them,” He pauses for effect, “that I love them.”
Dear God,
You love every single one who is reading.
Because of that love,
You forgive everything.
All we need to do is ask.
And we need that to go to heaven.
Someone has to pay for our bad.
I’m so grateful
that You don’t want anyone left out
and that You have a plan.
Related Post: Have you got your ticket to heaven?
The Bible Says This is What’s Coming
