Heaven, Earth, and Holding Patterns

[Dan R. Crawford]

As a recent flight was caught in a “holding pattern” the analogy was too obvious for me. Perhaps I’ve been too far to many “celebrations of life” lately. French Philosopher, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin said, “we are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.” Allow me to paraphrase: we are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings temporarily caught in a human holding pattern, awaiting arrival in heaven. In Philippians 3:20, Paul affirms that “our citizenship is in heaven.” We have sung, “This world is not my home I’m just a passing through, my treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue” and “I am a stranger here, within a foreign land; my home is far away, upon a golden strand” and again “Beulah Land, I’m longing for you, and some day on thee I’ll stand; there my home shall be eternal, Beulah Land, sweet Beulah Land.” In the last few months, I have memorialized family, friends, mentors, colleagues, fellow church members, and others. I’m thankful to still be in my “holding pattern,” and while heaven grows more special with every funeral, I am in no particular hurry to arrive there. So, take your time on my mansion, Lord. With Robert Frost, I have “promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.” But, then again, I’m ready when You are, Lord.