One

Heaven awaits!  Jesus greets me with a smile that rivals a glorious sunrise.  I humbly fall to my knees in awe of what He's done for me.  His outstretched hand clasps mine; He raises me up and with a kiss on the cheek says, "Rhonda meet your Father!"  I gaze into the sapphire eyes of the great I AM.  He draws me in, cupping my face in His hands as He kisses my forehead.  Strong arms envelope me; my heart melts as tears of joy flow down my cheeks.  I am Home!  He is the mansion prepared!  Time no longer exists as I spend an eternity knowing the heart of the father as He knows mine.  Curiosity is sparked for I know the mysteries of creation hidden within a gentle hug.  Words remain elusive yet everything is said.  I pull back and His smile, oh the light that emanates from His smile, soothes the scars on my wounded soul.  The cool warmth of His touch restores my image to its sin free state.  My fearfully and wonderfully made spirit soars throughout the heavenlies.  Finally! I and the father are one. 

Questions Anyone?

Been thinkin (Imagine that! :):)) about heaven!  Where is it? What in heavens name, pun intended ;), will I do there for an eternity?  Who is there? Other than who I already know. The biggie, when will I get to go?  Don't worry I'm not in a hurry.  Why? There are a bazillion whys I want to ask.  I find 'how' to be the most interesting of all questions.  So how ..... (fill in the blank)?  The How's out weigh the Whys ten to one.  When I was a child I thought like a child, meaning at two the questions are why, why, why.  As childish things pass away I want to know how!!

I anticipate heaven, to state the obvious, will be exceedingly abundantly above all I could ask or think. Then abundant thinking it is! I know it's not possible to be disappointed so why not!  Hm mm, which makes me think (I know quit thinkin so much:) is that when Thy will be done on earth as in heaven becomes a reality?  Don't have the answer, just the question.  How exciting!  To know there is an eternity of discovering HOW! To paraphrase Job; I wasn't there Lord, so just how did you make a Leviathan? Questions anyone?

The Tutor

Curiosity; a desire to learn or know.  Miss Lashbaugh encouraged curiosity by rewarding me with trips to the library.  Her tutelage developed in me a passion for reading, learning and writing.  Jesus sparks curiosity by sending the Holy Spirit to teach all things about the Father. Biblical teachers are to equip disciples with curiosity.  A tutor is provided to temper curiosity so we can excel in growing from grace to grace, strength to strength, glory to glory, faith to faith.

I become curious when my Teacher, the Holy Spirit, introduces a subject for study.  I begin to ask questions: Who? What? When? Where? Why?  Recently He tickled my passion for learning with a lesson about faith to faith.  As I began to ponder and study the teacher sent me to the library, in this case the book of Galatians. There a tutor, the Law, reminds me a learning process involves growing pains which requires letting go of old favored ideas and embracing new.  With that in mind I seek out the tutor for the law of faith! 

As the lesson progresses I learn that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.  I'm taught by the Word that the righteousness of God is revealed faith to faith.  So I've just learned the tutor for faith is righteousness. Christ redeemed me from the Law's curse so I know it's the blessing of the Law that will tutor. God promises the righteous man shall live by faith. What a relief! I'm more than willing to let righteousness tutor all it wants about faith.  I know faith's curiosity will be satisfied because learning God's promised righteousness is a glory filled adventure.

Now rather than becoming anxious about a list of don'ts based on "The Law"; righteousness's promise will tutor me as I grow faith to faith with what I can do through Christ, which is all things. As a result I'm free to let old knowledge pass away and faith knowledge become new.  I'm beginning to understand why there would even be the need to go from faith to faith.   If I don't grow; I feel entitled; then I become subject to that faith's law, which quenches curiosity. I'm blessed Miss Lashbaugh was and the Holy Spirit is an excellent teacher in sparking curiosity. Thankfully I've been given the Law's tutor of righteousness to keep faith to faith's curiosity from getting out of hand.  Because after all without a tutor; look at what curiosity did to the cat.