THE HOPE OF OUR HEARTS

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Stepping up to preach that Sunday in January 2005, Jack Arnold could not have imagined what he would soon encounter. For years he had served this church in Orlando, Florida before retiring. Home on furlough from foreign mission work at the age of sixty nine, his former congregation invited him to preach.

Speaking on the subject of heaven, Arnold focused on Philippians 1:21-23, his favorite passage, where Paul declared, "To live is Christ; to die is gain." He quoted John Wesley, “Until my work on earth is done, I am immortal.” Pointing upward, Arnold commented, “That’s how I feel. Until God is through with what I can do here, no harm can come to me. And when God is done with what he sent me to do, I’m ready to go. And when I get to heaven…" Stopping abruptly, Jack Arnold grabbed the pulpit, swayed and fell backwards, dying instantly from a heart attack. His death was a profound display of his final words, centered on heaven.

Lots of folks die on the job, but how many pass while talking about heaven? Can you imagine a better way to go home to be with Jesus? The best word that describes Jack Arnold's passion is "hope." Desire plus expectation. It's a deep longing, filling us with a desperate desire for more than this world offers, coupled with a full expectation of God's promise of heaven. Hope enables us to rise above difficult circumstances, empowering us with a vision to see beyond the material entanglements of this life. Described as "an anchor for our souls" (Hebrews 6:19), hope keeps us connected to what truly matters.

God instructs us that "our citizenship is in heaven" (Philippians 3:20), and to "set your mind on things above, not on earthly things" (Colossians 3:2). Whether we acknowledge it or not, we were created for eternity. In every human heart beats a longing for more than this world. We can possess that hope by surrendering our lives to Jesus. Then, each day take time to focus on heaven, where our hope lies. And as we encounter struggles during the day, let's remind ourselves of our hope. Like Jack Arnold (and the apostle Paul), we can say, "I'm ready to go. And when I get to heaven..."

  • On a scale of one to ten, how desperately do I long for heaven?

  • What steps can I take to center my thoughts more on heaven?

"Dear Lord, fill me with a deeper hope and longing for more than this world."

Barney Cargile