I just finished watching the movie Heaven is for Real for the second time. I felt strongly in my spirit to pen the following words. I pray they minister to you.
I agreed with almost everything in the movie except one scene where Rev. Todd is talking to the mean lady who attacked him in the meeting, while they are at the gravesite of her son. She asks Rev. Todd if he thought her son was in Heaven. He replies by asking questions about her love, his love, and God's love for both their sons. These questions lead to an implication that God did not love his son (Colton-the star of the movie and one who went to Heaven) more than God loved her son, and therefore this reference implied that her son was indeed in Heaven, or it made her feel better to think that her son was in Heaven. God is the very essence of love, and yes, He loves us all. He would not have come down and taken on human flesh in the form of Jesus and died for us if He did not love us. However, this does not mean that we ALL go to Heaven. That would be universalism, right? I am not saying that the lady's son did not go to Heaven, because I don't know him nor do I send people to Heaven or Hell. We go where we want to go...if we trust God and surrender to Him and have a relationship with Him then Heaven will be our eternal home. I don't serve Him just to go to Heaven, but I serve Him because I love Him and want to further His Kingdom right here on earth. I have eternal life now because I know Him!
After watching the movie the first time, it seemed to me that people want to accept the mystery of Heaven and Hell without accepting the reality of both places. We would just rather allegorize (please let that be a real word!) Heaven and Hell and let them make us feel better or feel hope rather than believing that they are real places. This is a very scary thought. Heaven and Hell are real places! We as preachers don't preach about Heaven and Hell anymore do we? Is that because we are afraid run people off? Choose ye this day whom ye will serve! The choice is up to us, and where we go to spend eternity is up to us as well. God loves us enough to give us that choice. I choose Heaven! Will you choose Heaven today with me?
I agreed with almost everything in the movie except one scene where Rev. Todd is talking to the mean lady who attacked him in the meeting, while they are at the gravesite of her son. She asks Rev. Todd if he thought her son was in Heaven. He replies by asking questions about her love, his love, and God's love for both their sons. These questions lead to an implication that God did not love his son (Colton-the star of the movie and one who went to Heaven) more than God loved her son, and therefore this reference implied that her son was indeed in Heaven, or it made her feel better to think that her son was in Heaven. God is the very essence of love, and yes, He loves us all. He would not have come down and taken on human flesh in the form of Jesus and died for us if He did not love us. However, this does not mean that we ALL go to Heaven. That would be universalism, right? I am not saying that the lady's son did not go to Heaven, because I don't know him nor do I send people to Heaven or Hell. We go where we want to go...if we trust God and surrender to Him and have a relationship with Him then Heaven will be our eternal home. I don't serve Him just to go to Heaven, but I serve Him because I love Him and want to further His Kingdom right here on earth. I have eternal life now because I know Him!
After watching the movie the first time, it seemed to me that people want to accept the mystery of Heaven and Hell without accepting the reality of both places. We would just rather allegorize (please let that be a real word!) Heaven and Hell and let them make us feel better or feel hope rather than believing that they are real places. This is a very scary thought. Heaven and Hell are real places! We as preachers don't preach about Heaven and Hell anymore do we? Is that because we are afraid run people off? Choose ye this day whom ye will serve! The choice is up to us, and where we go to spend eternity is up to us as well. God loves us enough to give us that choice. I choose Heaven! Will you choose Heaven today with me?
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