Good morning:
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” It is probable that this question has been asked to nearly every child of all time. A few thousand years ago the answers might have included things like a stone worker, a merchant, or a king. Today, the common answers are doctors, professional athletes, teachers, and parents. Essentially, children want to be who they interact with the most. Doctor’s appointments lead children to want to be doctors. Watching sports with parents leads children to want to be athletes. All children have parents and so it is natural to want to be a parent, especially when the child is young and primarily around their parents.
So you, Christian, what do you want to be when you grow up? You are in the years of anywhere from childhood to advanced age. What do you want to grow up to be after your time on this earth is done? Daniel 12:3 gives one description of a role worth being, “Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.” (NKJV). Daniel is speaking of what the believers in Jesus will be like on the last day. They will shine like the sun and stars and all because God has given them wisdom in His word and the opportunities to bring more stars into everlasting life with them, thanks to their faithful witnessing of His promises to people they know.
But again, Christian, what do you want to be when you grow up after life on earth? You and I most certainly want to stand in the presence of the Almighty God and Savior of all mankind and worship Him forever. You and I want to be wise in God’s word and shine in heaven. So how do you accomplish this? How do you securely grasp eternal life? Well, the simple answer is the correct one. Your Savior secures you to Himself. He does this by giving you people around you who are also securely tied in place. You can cut the bonds of His mercy by rejecting His mercy and the faithful Christians around you, or you can be around and be like the fellow elect that God has placed you in. Remember? Typically you want to grow up to be like those whom you interact with the most, so stay surrounded with those who confess your faith and not another. In doing so, instead of dreading or ignoring the second coming of Christ, you’ll get to look forward to it.
In Christ, Pastor Naumann
