Boomland: “When Shall I Reach That Happy Place?â€
“…they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly oneâ€
(Hebrews 11:16)
Growing up in northern Illinois, where fireworks were not legally sold, naturally I was overjoyed when my friend informed me that his family was traveling to Missouri and that he had plans to bring back boxes of fireworks. That summer was spent throwing firecrackers at passing cars from a concealed location across a canal, where the culprits could not be seen. The adrenaline flowed like soda that summer. Many years later (having repented of those deeds) and now living in Missouri, with Boomland so near, I could care less. Isn’t that the way it is with immaturity? We think that we know what we want out of life, and then when it comes our way we have lost interest. Still, the “precious faith†(2 Peter 1:1) is persistently and consistently precious. It does not wane with the years; sag with the tears; or feign with the rain. The Christian faith has a hope that begins in this life and reaches into the next.
Some Christian groups (individuals), in order to pursue their immature need for the pops and cracks of adolescence, must worship with the innovations of musical bands; religious garments; incense; statues of saints; holy water; ad infinitum. But, we did not so learn Christ (see Eph. 4:20). These sensual aspects of church worship are a better reflection of pagan culture, than the Acts of the Apostles (Eph. 4:17-24).
That happy place is neither Missouri nor Boomland, but heaven (Colossians 1:5). May your hope bring you to worship God daily, in the specific splendor of the simplicity which is in Christ (2 Cor. 11:3,4).
– Robert M. Housby