I think we can all agree on the fact that heaven operates differently from earth. Heaven has different principles, rules, and priorities, and therefore a very different perspective than that of earth.
Yet, as Christians, we don't always take on the perspective of heaven. Instead we try to operate with God under the principles of earth and wonder why we end up so frustrated. We deem the Christian life boring and unfulfilling, which I believe is the opposite of that which is seen in the lives of believers throughout the entirety of the Bible.
Scripture VS Real Life
Have you ever read of the Book of Acts and wondered why your life doesn't look like the lives of the first apostles? This is a question I ask myself regularly. What do they have that I don't? What am I missing?
I think normally when we read the Bible, we view the characters as big heroes of the faith; their accomplishments seem unattainable in our eyes. Yet, I think God is trying to point out that these people were nothing special. We regularly see their failures and shortcomings, yet tend forget their faults in light of their accomplishments.
The greatest King of the Old Testament committed adultery and murder, yet was a 'Man after God's own heart.' Paul, a missionary in the New Testament who spread the Gospel throughout Asia Minor and wrote half the New Testament started as the Hitler of his day, persecuting Christians. Yet, we look at men and women like these and wonder how we could ever be as great.
James, Chapter 5, verse 17 says 'Elijah was a man just like us.' Yet this man called down fire from Heaven to silence his enemies, rode in a chariot of fire and controlled the weather. If we are like him and he is like us, why aren't these things happening in our lives? Where is the disconnect?
Authority and surrender
As I continued to seek out this question, I began to understand that it's not what they possess that's different, it's their understanding and belief in what they possess and who they belong to. They understood God's authority and therefore their own identity and authority.
We can see in the story of the Centurion, in Matthew Chapter 8, people have as much authority as they are under, so if we are unwilling to be under the authority and Lordship of Jesus Christ, we will find ourselves without authority in the natural realm.
God beckons us to surrender our lives daily before Him, to live lives of obedience and intimacy with God Himself. Knowing God and having a vibrant relationship was meant to be experienced this side of heaven; it's not something reserved only for heaven. If you are a believer the Bible says the Holy Spirit dwells inside of you, so God lives in you! Take a moment to stop and fathom that.
God is willing and waiting to commune with you; to spend time with you. What is stopping you from spending time with Him? The God and Creator of the universe has chosen to make his home inside of you and wants relationship with you. How would believing that change the way you live? How would it change the way you view yourself? The way you pray? The way you spend your time? The way you treat others?
Be awakened to the Kingdom of Heaven
2 Corinthians, Chapter 5, verse 20 says "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us." As Christ's ambassadors, we have been chosen to live on earth, representing heaven. As citizens of heaven, we have a different Lord and ruler with heavenly laws and principles. The Ruler of Heaven is not bound by laws of earth; He is able to heal, bring the dead to life and make the natural supernatural; He is only looking for hearts which are willing and surrendered to His lordship.
"You have as much of God today as you want." I'm not sure where this statement originated, but it's always confronting for me. Instead of blaming God for my lack of intimacy and experience of God, the ball is back in my court. The question is not how much of God do I have, but how much of me does God have? The more we surrender, the more room we make for God to move in and through our lives.
If you are bored with the Christian life, I promise you there is more; I have seen it and experienced it; don't give up. God wants to reawaken you to His realities and His Kingdom if you are willing. He wants to know you and be with you. He wants to partner with you in your daily life and show you things you couldn't even imagine. He wants to show you it's possible to live in intimacy with God this side of heaven. Jesus showed us this is possible; being fully man, living in communion with God.
Living in intimacy with God enables us to live an exciting Christian life and to truly be ambassadors of heaven.
Laurinda is a missionary at Youth with a Mission in Brisbane where she leads a discipleship program for young adults. On her day off you can find her hiking up a mountain or swinging in a hammock.
Laurinda Rapp's previous articles may be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/laurinda-rapp.html