Readjusting My Focus
When I returned from heaven, my focus sharpened on only this: Jesus and my eternal home
When I returned from heaven, my focus sharpened on only this: Jesus and my eternal home. To the chagrin of the people, including myself, the tasks I needed to complete no longer mattered so much. Even T.V. and reading my usual fiction books felt like a waste of time. I spent at least two hours a day just studying the Word, as well as other heaven material, and spent much additional time absorbing, staring at the ceiling, thinking about my Lord, reliving my near-death experience, and being outside looking at the sky (it was warm then). The second day after returning from heaven, I was longing for it, and sat on our patio, staring upward, wishing I could build a treehouse and reside there to be as close to the sky as possible. (Yes, heaven is “up there”.)
But alas, even a treehouse wouldn’t have been close enough, and neither did I feel close enough when watching a movie based in outer space. Life went on, and my laser-targeted focus eventually tumbled back to earth. I refocused on working, tasks, family, financial needs, my health, the running of Cascade Christian Writers, and serving others here. I still spent time with God, but it wasn’t in sheer adoration with practically glassed-over eyes — it was more along the route of fulfilling what I needed to do. I still snuck time into research, but two hours a day became “undoable” as life once again demanded my full attention.
The Quiet Time of Jesus
In church a couple of weeks ago, Pastor Travis spoke of Jesus’ waiting period here on earth and what we know of that time. Can you imagine waiting for thirty-plus years to fulfill your purpose? Hey, He was human. I imagine, at some point, that came with some impatience or at least questions to His Father. I also mentioned in a Christmas post that He was likely homesick — that seemed to resonate with many of you. I believe part of His disbanding from others to pray throughout the years was for the holy connection with his heavenly Dad.
There, Jesus could mourn, rejoice, praise, question and wonder, share about His day and happenings, repeat scripture (sounding familiar yet?), seek wisdom…and I would wonder if sometimes He just said, “Why, Dad? Why?” Pastor Travis wonders if God heard an occasional “Is it now, Father?” (Insert here: “are we there yet”?) :-)
Travis reminded me that Jesus was only focused on His Father. We know he had “heavenly thinking” at the forefront of His mind. It showed in all His actions. Jesus’ private growth prepared Him for His public ministry. As far as we know, His main ministry waited until his 30s (outside of teaching in the temple at the age of 12), and it must have been because it was both a time of preparation for Him and for others.
They just weren’t ready for all the miraculous events yet.
Luke 2:52 says that Jesus kept increasing in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and the people in this period. My pastor explored the original languages to delve into these (as you know, that makes me a fan), and here are some of my notes:
Wisdom - listening, asking questions, and speaking (iron sharpens iron).
Stature - literally means that He grew older and bigger. Go, Jesus.
Favor - means that He prioritized God and, therefore, matured.
Apparently, these were the things that He needed first to minister to others effectively. And how about just plain-ole rest? When I read the book of Luke and other books of the Bible, I see Jesus provided hundreds (maybe thousands?) of miracles, healings, and other methods of ministering. Did He need 30+ years of nurturing and rest as a baby, kid, teen, and adult before the exhaustion of constantly being sought, chased after, taken to the edge of cliffs, serving as an (often unconventional) leader, surviving temptation, dying, and being resurrected? Did He need a mother and family’s love and years of support before beginning this incredible phase of his life? A chance to make friends and supporters who He could rely on? People to be honest with about His own emotions and thought processing? I bet Mary needed him a bit. And it sounds like, at some point in there, His family also lost Joseph, the man who raised him and likely taught him earthly lessons, too.
Yes, all those years, experiences, and time with his Father provided him the needed resources to get through only a few years of ministry — although, of course, it was the most important ministry of all.
In the meantime, Jesus stayed close to His Papa, and I need to make that happen more in my life too. His time of finding a quiet place, praying, and reflecting was His only way to go back Home.
And for now, it is my only way to go back Home too.
“But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:31 NKJV
Hey! My new Heaven Songs playlist on YouTube is helping me stay focused. It’s 35 minutes long for now, but I’ll be adding more songs as I discover them. If you have any recommendations for additional songs, please drop them in the comments. I’d love to hear them!
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I didn't have a near death experience but I did have an angel speaking to me as I was drowning after falling out of a 4 seater float airplane (this in itself was a miracle that I lived. There is so much more to this whole experience. ) It was at the end of October and the lake was very cold, everyone had their boats off of the lake, except 1 boat was still on the shore. The man (who was a first responder) who owned the boat saw the accident happen and yelled for his neighbor to come help him, he also called 911. As I hit the water I didn't know where I was, when I was under the water, I was confused and didn't know what to do. I heard a Angels voice say relax and float. I got to the top of the water and started screaming as I was looking around where to go. I again heard the voice, I was told to remain calm, so I did. I was getting hypothermia and everything slowed down (I was later told this also saved my live by not struggling or panicking) I started praying to Jesus for help and to be able to see my first grandchild be born. I prayed and prayed. By the time the boat came to me I was under water and on my last breath, I felt someone pulling me up by my hair and winter jacket. I finally got into the boat and not sure what was happening. I couldn't stop shivering, I was so cold. I was brought to the hospital and warmed up. Then they did a CT scan to look for injuries, nothing was broken, but they found a black spot in my left lung. I had surgery mid Dec. During surgery they couldnt get to the spot and had to remove part of my rib to get to the spot the spot. They did a biopsy on the tissue, it was histoplasmosis, which left untreated can spread and be fatal. I left the hospital on Christmas Eve(with a drainage tube still in place)
I am so thankful for all of Gods plan that day, so many things lined up perfectly for our rescue. This was the beginning of my faith. I always believed in God since a child, but I didn't walk with Him. I was living worldly, praying when I needed or wanted something. By GODS GRACE I Have Been Saved.
Amen
I am now a child of God and growing every day.
Thank you for sharing your journey with us. It feels like there’s an important lesson for us in listening to what you have to say and how heaven is our real home. It’s convicting me to get more focused on God.