Heaven on Earth. Jesus taught us to pray for it, "Thy kingdom come..." The disciples experienced it. Is it really possible to experience heaven here on earth?
I believe Eli would attest it is so. Eli's world has changed. True "repentance" has occurred. He has "changed his mind" about many things. He came from a world of hopelessness; stuck behind shiny metal bars; held in a crib of captivity. We have adopted him into a world of royalty. Instead of captivity; freedom. Instead of hopelessness; happiness. Instead of starvation; abundance.
Jesus preached, "Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Heaven is within our reach. We also have been adopted into a divine inheritance. All we need to do is open our eyes, change our minds(repent), reach out our hands, and receive what has been offered to us.
What if we brought Eli into this "heavenly realm of royalty" and he just sat with his face toward the corner cowering in fear? What if we offered him the best selection of foods and he stepped back from a world unknown to him?
Instead, Eli has chosen to receive. When food is offered he cannot contain his excitement and joy. He jumps up and down and dances all around with hands raised high with an undeniable expression on his face that says, "Yes! Yes! Yes! Give me! Give me! Give me!" He does not deny the inheritance that has been given to him. He embraces it full fold.
I am reminded of the other day when Eli and I were sitting cross-legged on the kitchen floor rolling a miniature VW bus back and forth across the linoleum. Vrroooommm! Eli's eyes lit up with glee as the VW sped faster and faster to the other side of the room. THEN, out of nowhere, his gleeful expression turned to terror as a shattering CRACK of lightning seemed to jolt right into our insides and rattle our bones. With no hesitation, Eli let out a blood-curdling scream, bolted from his seated position and soared halfway across the room into my lap and instantly buried his head into the refuge of my warm embrace. Tears streamed down his face as he held onto me; his legs wrapping tightly around me, his hands gathering my shirt with a firm squeezing grip, his eyes looking into mine every few seconds to receive a message of comfort and reassurance. "It's okay, sweetheart...It's okay," I said softly while rocking him back and forth. A song came to mind: "Jesus is our light and salvation," I sang quietly over and over again to the rhythm of the comforting rocking motions.
Eli didn't hesitate. When terror struck, he knew just where to go. To my arms of love. It was one of the holiest moments I have ever experienced. Heaven on earth. The presence of God wrapped us both up in his comforting arms like never before.
Do we know where to go? Do we see his arms stretched out wide before us? Or do we run to another substance of comfort that leaves us empty and dry? Unsatisfied we reach for more of our substance of choice (whether it be food, drugs, more material possessions, work, even ministry...) until the substance begins to eat at us from the inside out.
God is the only one who will ever satisfy our needs. When we choose to run into his arms, we experience the sweet taste of heaven on earth. Our kingdom inheritance is at hand. It's within our reach. Will we grab on and experience the love of our Father?
