A story is told of an old man who lived in a lonely, isolated cottage, earning just enough to keep body and soul tether, by breaking stones.
First his wife died, and then his son, and age creeping on, he finally became quite blind, but he still gathered the shepherd boys around him, especially on Sundays, telling them of the Good Shepherd Who gave His life for the sheep—who tends and cares for them—and watches over the lambs of His flock.
Soon the last days of his life came, and death drew on. A kindly old Christian came to his bedside, and with these words tried to comfort him,
“It won’t be long now, brother, you will very soon be in heaven.”
The dying man raised himself slowly up, and lifting his sightless old eyes heavenward, said,
“Why man, I’ve been in heaven these last ten years!”
His words are true; one can live in heaven while yet upon earth. Every boy and girl who reads this paper is a citizen of some part of the world, but earthly citizenship is not enough, “the world passeth away” (1 John 2:17). “Our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20). The new birth that Christ speaks about in John 3:3 is the entrance to our heavenly citizenship, and God calls us through Christ to be His citizens on earth, His ambassadors (2 Cor. 5:20) to represent Him here, as His ambassadors. We are to shine with heavenly light, that Christ may be seen through us.
One day we shall have the inestimable privilege, as God’s children, of walking the street of heaven, where “we shall he like Him; for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2); but it is also a privilege to be on this earth as citizens of heaven—Christ’s representatives—where everything is so unlike Him, speaking His Word where His name is so rarely heard, shining amidst the world’s darkness, and serving Him faithfully here, where there is such great need, and then the joys of His own great welcome will be ours,
“Well done, good and faithful servant ... . enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”
ML 01/14/1940