Each one of us is on a journey to our final, and eternal, destination.  As Christians, we live with the confident assurance that our eternal home is with God.  But, we’re not home yet and there is a life to be lived as we journey toward heaven.  It is my prayer that this series of devotions will help you discover not only a glimpse of heaven, but that it would prepare you to more fully live like you are home even as you continue the journey.

This is day twelve from the devotional journal, “Almost Heaven: Devotions For the Journey Home”.  Each of these devotions are designed to help a person spend time with God in the process of discovering how He would have us to live as we prepare for an eternal home.

Almost Heaven:
A Home Of Influence

“He told them still another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.'”
Matthew 13:33 (NIV)

What are some things that have had a huge influence in your life?  Are those exact things noticeable in your life today or just the effects of their influence?  What does it mean to you to have influence, or to be influenced?  What kind of influence are you?  Would the people around you agree?  How has being a part of the kingdom of God influenced your life?

When I was a young boy learning my way around the kitchen, I made brownies one day but got stuck in understanding the ingredient list.  I did okay until I reached a point where the recipe called for 1/4 teaspoon of B.P..  I had no idea what that stood for and decided to simply bypass that line as it was such a small amount — surely it wouldn’t matter.  Was I ever wrong!  The brownies needed the influence of the Baking Powder to keep them from being the thin, rock hard substance they turned out to be.  God says the kingdom of heaven is like that agent which works completely through our life to keep us from becoming a useless rock hard substance.  As you pray, ask God to fill your life with the influence of your heavenly  home.  Pray that your influence would represent that home.

In prayer,

Tom