If heaven were never promised

Earlier today, I had a conversation with an amazing guy that was quite instrumental in my recovery from a major face plant.
The conversation caused me to reflect on why I choose to follow Jesus and why I share my faith with others.
Through most of my childhood and early adult years, I viewed Him simply as a “get out of hell for free” card. Most of my early teaching came in the form of fear-based discipleship tactics that caused me to focus more on being “rapture ready” than pursuing a relationship with God. I spent a good part of my life following Jesus, not because I loved him, but because I was scared of what might happen to me if I “messed up”
…. and then my life fell apart…
I ran from ministry.
I ran from my faith.
I ran from life as I knew it…
… and I became the prodigal that I always told myself that I would never be.
But the day that I chose to come back home, Jesus was waiting there with open arms to receive me.
I had always imagined that returning home to Him would involve a life-long penance.
Instead, I encountered his grace, his forgiveness, and his love.
I encountered an empowerment that made me want to know Him even more.
I can honestly now say, that knowing Jesus is the best thing that ever happened to me.

There’s an old Andre Crouch song that says, “If heaven were never promised to me, neither life to live eternally, it be worth just having the Lord in my life. Living in a world of darkness, He came along and brought me the light.”
Those words resonate with me.. and I thought I’d share a cover of that song with you.

Unapologetically yours,

John Eli