I was on a run yesterday thoroughly enjoying the sunshine. Like many places in the South and Midwest, Southeast Missouri was assaulted with snow and bitter cold temperatures last week. Well, the snow has finally melted, and the feeling of springtime is in the air.
I often find myself worshipping as I walk, run, or ride my bicycle. Yesterday was no different. My hands were lifted high in praise. I was grinning from ear to ear. I’m certain a passerby would have thought I was nuts. I’m nuts about Jesus, so they wouldn’t have been entirely wrong.
This particular run felt different than most. God was there with me. I sensed his presence in a peculiar kind of way. Have you ever been so filled with joy that you laughed out loud? That was me yesterday. I felt liberated. I was free. I believe I got a small glimpse of what the kingdom will be like.
Then, by God’s providence, I walked by a man who was landscaping a neighbor’s yard. He might have been working on gutters, but either way, he was outside under the same sun as me. A beautiful aroma came to my nostrils. It was the sweetest smell. The man was smoking a cigar.
I have never smoked a cigar before, at least, not the fatty kind this man had. When I was a teenager, Black & Milds were a hot commodity, but they are far inferior to this man’s cigar. He seemed to owned that moment like a king. Something strongly suggested to me that we will smoke cigars in God’s kingdom. We will do work with our hands while smoking delicious cigars to God’s glory.
I could be wrong, of course. But, why not? In the kingdom, sin will be a memory, addiction will be eradicated, and smoking will no longer be habit forming or cancer producing. In heaven, I think a cigar will compliment the wine we drink with Jesus (Luke 22:18). It will taste like honey, or something sweeter.
Yesterday’s outing was heavenly. It was holy. It was a taste of eternity. If I know anything, it’s this: God’s consummated kingdom will be more mysterious and marvelous than anything we can now imagine.
Oh, how I long for that land! How I long for that drink with Jesus.
In the midst of our day-to-day affairs, we can easily lose sight of our homeland, where death and mourning and crying and pain are no more (Revelation 21:4); that great city made of pure gold, as pure as glass (Revelation 21:18). Our eyes should fixate on that city’s king — the mighty warrior who will personally wipe every tear from our eyes.
What size or variety of cigar does a king smoke? I don’t know about you, but I look forward to finding out.
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