Swimming in the Ocean!

In the spirit the angel carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb.   Rev. 21 (NRSV)

Jesus said to Judas (not Iscariot), "Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.

"I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, `I am going away, and I am coming to you.' If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe."  John 14 (NRSV)

The Holy City coming down out of heaven from God. Imagine that vision. What is it you see? I see a city shining so brightly I can barely look at it. It glows not only in golden lights but with all the colors of the rainbow. All the colors of God’s promises. And as I view it my soul rejoices. It is peace and joy and hope and love all wrapped up into a single place, a single moment.

There is no Temple, no church building, no shrine for people to pilgrimage to. Instead the presence of God, in fact God’s very being, is throughout. Over all, around all, through all.  The gates are always open. The majesty and glory of God is always accessible. And even in the depth of night, there is light.

The water that flows is clear and cool. It seems to sparkle with joy as it flows by. And the trees offer fresh fruits throughout the seasons. No one goes without. There is always plenty of the finest for all.
Anyone else ready to sign up for this trip? 

Often when I would talk to people in Hospice they would share with me their vision of heaven. Many had seen the movies of people who have died and returned with visions of what heaven is like. If I am not mistaken, light is always one of the common factors of their visions. This is the hope that they hold on to as they wonder about the mystery that lies ahead. For all of us.

Perhaps you have heard the parable of the conversation between the twins in the womb. One baby thinks that there is life after birth. That they will walk, taste food, and meet their mother. The other baby thinks that is foolishness. If there was life after birth why has noone ever come back to tell them about it.
What is next is always a mystery, wherever we are on our journey.

But Jesus is telling his disciples of what is to be ours now. Not in our distant future, but in our present. Jesus has indeed gone to be with the father and what he promised the disciples is now ours. 
Let me share another parable that you probably already know.

The story centers on a little fish who is in search of this wonderful thing he had heard so much about called The Ocean which was vast, beautiful and full of adventure. The little fish kept searching and searching but to no avail. He became increasingly frustrated because he couldn’t find The Ocean anywhere he looked. The little fish finally mustered up enough courage to approach an older and bigger fish to ask for help. “Excuse me sir”, said the little fish. “You are older than I, so can you tell me where to find this thing called The Ocean?”  “Why little fish”, said the older fish, “The Ocean is where you and I are and what you are swimming in right now; it is all around you.” “Oh no”, said the little fish who was deeply disappointed, “this is the water and there’s nothing special about it at all. What I am looking for is The Ocean!”  So the little fish swam away to search elsewhere.

Here’s the thing. Jesus tells us that if we keep his words, hold on to them, trust them, breathe them in, then God has already moved in with us. That we don’t need a temple or a church or a shrine to find the presence of God. 

That there is living water, beautiful sparkling streams already welling up from within. Remember Jesus’ discussion with the woman at the well?  Jesus said, “Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” And in chapter 17 Jesus tells us that eternal life is to know God. To know God intimately. Like when he moves in.

And the fruits of the Spirit are available for us through all seasons of our life. (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control)

In other words we are already swimming in the promises, the presence of the Divine, the Sacred, the Holy, here and now. “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, 21 nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.” or within you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled, do not be afraid. 

We live in a time of fear, frustration, concern, anger. It might be said that the times before us also felt those things. But what lies within, is the peace that the world will never give nor take. It is yours because it is God’s peace. And you are already swimming in it.
 
"Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them."

Salvation is so much more than just the mystery of what is to come. It is about the blessing of living that mystery today. It is about being made whole today.  It is about touching God through the Holy Spirit, God’s own Spirit, within you today.

It is about knowing heaven on earth.

What a magnificent gift we have been given. And yet how often do we still search for it, wait for it, hope for it, cry out for it?  We need not search for the ocean of God’s peace, God’s presence, we are already swimming in it.

If you love God, God is already here. 
God’s peace is with you.
Partake freely and deeply.
Amen.