Airport Moment

This week I took our daughters to the airport to fly for the first time without us. Since they are not 18 yet, this meant they were listed as minors. They will soon be 18, but that didn't matter. The confusing part is that I couldn't go with them to their gate and wait the hour and half until departure, but they also don't want minors left alone in the airport, so I had to sit in the lobby. My guess is that they don't want younger children just running the airport, but since that seemed to be the rule and I got several "oh, they aren't 18", I decided to sit on a chair in the lobby and get a sweet ice tea and a book from the gift shop (I hadn't planned on staying so I brought nothing).

When we walked up to the security gate I asked (just in case the rule changed) if I could sit with them at their gate even though I didn't have a ticket. He looked at me and said "Nope, this is the end of the line for you. It is as far as you can go". I then proceeded to see them go ahead without with me, all grown up and go through all kinds of security and head around the corner. That was it. In a matter of minutes they were gone. They were just on the other side of the wall, I later found out, because we spent most of our time texting. However, I couldn't go. It amazed me, that on one side of the wall I sat without going through any security and the airport felt I was a safe person, but if I went around the corner, I would no longer be safe just because I didn't buy a ticket. The ticket seemed to make the world of difference. I thought about that a bit more and as I watched the people coming and going ( I saw a lot in 90 minutes). I realized something. The right side of the airport was where everyone was saying good-bye because they couldn't go any further (at least the rule was for everyone and not just for a mom of teenagers who had a tear in her eye and a lump in her throat as she said good-bye to her only children), and the left side was for where people jumped up and ran or cried because their family was returning. So, the right side was sad and heads down and the left side was happy, laughing and cheering. The rule keeper sat directly in the middle.

For a moment I thought about heaven. I have no idea what it will be like, so please hear me say, I am trying to apply a point I had while waiting. It will be much better than we can ever understand, we just try to put human terms on it. But this is what I want us to all ponder and then decide how we will spend our remaining time here.

What if when we died, there was a rule keeper (guard), sitting in the middle of the gate. You walk up to him and ask, can I just step in for a minute? Can I just say hello to someone I recognize over there? Can I just visit for a bit? And he said, "do you have a purchased ticket?". You would have to hang your head and leave. You wouldn't be able to proceed. Then as you hang your head because you didn't purchase your ticket, you see on the left side all the people smiling, cheering, hugging, and even crying tears of joy because a family member or dear friend has finally arrived. Worse yet, your family is right around the corner, you can't see in, but you can hear the chatter and see the wall that divides you. The ticket needed isn't just any ticket either, it needs to be bought with blood, blood that was shed by a perfect man. The ticket can't be purchased by you because there was only one ticket to purchase and it was already bought. You need to accept the ticket as a gift from the purchaser. Only He can give it to you. You need to accept it and receive it before you are ready to travel. The key is you aren't sure when you will be traveling, but you must be ready for when you get the call that today is your day to travel.

The other thing I noticed is that if you had a ticket you could go anywhere and do anything. You were labeled as a guest and they treated you as such. The ticket Jesus gives us has His Name on it and it is written in blood, His blood. He paid the price for your ticket. He had your name on His mind, when we shed that blood, He is waiting to hand you your ticket, you simply have to ask. If you receive His ticket it will give you an all access pass to everywhere He goes and where His Father goes. When the gate keeper sees His name He says, "welcome you can proceed".

The question, I leave with you this week is, do you have your ticket? Do you know how to get one if you don’t? If you do, are you making sure others know, so they too, can have full access? In a few short days, my kids will be returning home and I will be able to run and hug them just as all the others did that day when their families came home. But how much greater it will be when we are in Heaven and we aren’t just coming and going like the airport, but going to stay! I have my ticket and I would love to have you join me some day. I would love to be standing in Heaven and seeing you come through the gate…..Remember only those that know Jesus will be able to proceed. Heaven is real and it is our responsiblity as followers of Jesus to share the news of how others can join us as well. Aren't you so thankful that someone shared Him with you? Do the same for someone this week, that hasn't heard or help support someone who is trying to spread the word!

When the guard says, "Ticket please."  You will be able to proceed to an eternity of things your mind can't comprehend. Heaven isn't a fairy tale and Heaven is waiting for those who are prepared. Are you?