For the first time the words tasted sour in my mouth. They echoed a strange sentiment in my ears. I felt a yearning inside. I looked over at her, lying fast asleep, her eye visor fastened carefully over her face, headphones switched to a certain function which blocked out any background noise so as to tune right into your desired movie, song or in her case, complete silence. Rest.
There is a feeling that lies somewhere in between wanting to lean over and jostle somebody out of their sleep just so you can see their face light up and that smile spread out in front of you, yet enjoying looking on at them and seeing them utterly content, peaceful in sleeping. Maybe it was the music I was listening to, maybe the movie I'd just watched; there wasn't much else to do on the plane; a lot of thinking and reflecting.
This is where I searched my soul, looking for a time where I could say, 'Yes. That's it! That's the place I earned it! That's the place that correlates with this season of tremendous blessing. That's where I pleased God.' I couldn't find it, except to say that the moment I gave my life to Jesus everything changed.
That's why those lyrics irked me that day on the plane.
'They heard about a place. People were smilin'.'
As the song went on the place was dismissed; a fantastical land, something dreamed of but never attained, never realised, but I know a place. People smile in this place too. There is no reason not to. Everything centres on love. Everyone is accounted for.
Now this is the eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. John 7:3
Eternal life began for me when I raised my hand in a dark auditorium filled with young people all singing their hearts out, declaring their love for a God to whom they owed everything but expected little. In a moment of clarity, a bright haze of revelation I reached out to a Father I had never known so intimately before that. In the movies at that point the camera would dolly straight into the character's head to get a sense of the colours at work and you'd be subjected to a montage of events leading up to that moment but for me that montage was delayed.
A Journey
Sitting on the plane, taking in the shimmering gold ring on my finger, God took me on a journey. He showed me the full days I'd coordinate so I didn't have to be in my own company, past relationships, my relationship with my brother, my father, anger and dismay, undeserved privilege and blessing, travel and the stories that accompany that, people I'd met, places I'd been at night. All of it played over in my head but I was not tormented.
I was joyful. It was as if God was saying somehow, 'see, I've been there all along. Look what I've brought you through. Look at what you've become.' At that point I glanced over at Priscila, still sleeping peacefully and I wept.
One night I had spoken to God. This God who's so majestic and powerful, commissioned with Jesus and through Jesus with us to save a bunch of lost people seeking contentment, acceptance, perfect love, I spoke to Him.
'God I know you're listening. I know you've been watching us. If you approve then let me know.'
I woke up the very next morning absolutely convicted, absolutely in love. That is my miracle. God has never told me anything more clearly since and I doubt whether He will.
I need to communicate a message.
There is such a place as this.
It saddens me to think that people don't understand it.
I am convinced that nothing will separate God's people from arriving eventually at this place. Here the clouds will shimmer a splendid gold. The buildings will stretch and skew against the bright light penetrating their translucency from betwixt them. People will join angels and there will be smiling. Songs will be sung with renewed vocal chords, intermittent humming and clapping in time. The choir in their golden robes marked with purple trimming will shift from foot to foot along to the beat, their joyful mouths proclaiming God's faithfulness. The streets will be lined with people, all laughing, embracing one another in filial affection, encouraging one another, praising God for his goodness.
The question is not whether such a place exists. It does. The question is when. Eternal life began when you realised you were won. Our proximity to Heaven depends on us mobilising our faith. We were lost and are found. In His special way He continues to work his biggest miracle in your life. It's available to all of us. Now there's a necessary response to that miracle. It's to simply say thank you and to live out of that miracle to bring God glory.
That night on the plane God reminded me how he'd rescued me. Each day thereafter I've made it a priority to glorify God through my miracle. I find increasingly that apart from living completely submitted to God, there is simply no way we can hope to live an impacting life.
We must pray for perspective.
David Luschwitz lives in Sydney and is currently completing a Masters Degree in Christian Studies. Having just married the girl of his dreams, he is committed to seeing the message of Christ on display in big shiny letters on peoples' hearts.
David Luschwitz' previous articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/david-luschwitz.html