Heaven-turned Eyes

Our neighborhood hawks hang in the air, tails twitching as they play in the headwind. With a slight flex of wings, they're carried back across the sky. Over and over, they dance above our lunch table, entertaining heavenward eyes. A cliche in the blogging world, but no less majestic.

Big one watches them, forgetting the food on her plate. {Small one's not sure what we're going on about.}

We practice our made-up catechism, the questions we recite to help overcome a fear of F22 flyovers:

Where does the bird {plane} fly?


   In the sky


Who's coming back in the sky?


   Jesus


When's he coming back?


   Any time! 

She throws her hands in the air, expecting a party when Jesus "comes in the sky". She's not old enough yet to worry that Jesus will bring the end of the world, and she might never get married, have her own grown up life, etc... thoughts that stole my joy for the return of the king for many years.

Sometimes time ruins perspective.

Maybe that's what Jesus meant when he said:

If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:26 ESV

   or another way...

If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison--your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters--yes, even your own life. Otherwise you cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:26 NLT

Fear is born in misplaced love. Worshipping joys in this life more than those in the life to come. Valuing, however unintentionally, God's gifts over God's will.

What was it Jim Elliot said:

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.

Childlike faith trusts the imperishable gain, giving rise to reckless hope and heaven-turned eyes.