The Pastor of the church I attend, has had a Taste of Heaven. He’s a former marine who served in Iraq, and there are times when a little bit of that experience slips into a sermon. (Christian Cleghorn, Pastor of First Assembly here in Butler)

For example, in making a point, he once mentioned how our boys over there hope that “this may be the day that they tell us it’s our turn to go home…out of this 140 degree heat…the day we won’t worry about snakes and scorpions…this may be the day they say we’re going home, to be with our families again…the day when they’ll tell us to pack our gear; we’re going HOME!”

Then he remembered when that blessed day actually came for his company…”Pack your gear, men; we’re going home!” He said that a cheer went up that could be heard all over the camp! Can you imagine?

I compare it to the title I gave to these remarks: “A Taste of Heaven.” The day they had hoped and prayed for had actually come. And the day when Christ will come back for His own, will raise a shout like those marines gave. The day ministers and even non-clergy are feeling is coming very, very close.

As we know, one day with the Lord is “as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day,” (2 Peter 3:8) and that’s why, as soon as Jesus was resurrected and his Apostles watched him rise in the air, going back to his Father God, Christians started expecting him back at any moment. But there is no time with God, and He had delayed His coming. But the day will come, just as it did with those marines. But we won’t have time to “pack our gear,” We’ll leave all. He’ll come in the twinkling of an eye, and we won’t need anything we had here on earth.

If Christ came back today, or if your life ends tonight, do you know where you’ll spend eternity? If you haven’t been “born again,” (John 3:1-7) there isn’t a moment to lose, so do it now. You don’t have to wait to do it in a church, or with a minister. Jesus said, “Behold I stand at the door and knock” (Rev 3:20). That door is your heart, and that “heart” is your soul. Just talk to Him. He’s listening.