Admit One

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

– Philippians 3:20 & 21

A few years back, when my boys were still in high school, we decided to go to a Sunday afternoon movie. We left church, grabbed a bite to eat and then headed to the theatre. Even with two working seventeen year-old sons, I was still roped into buying the tickets. Pulling the cash from my billfold and passing it through the glass slot at the ticket booth, the attendant slipped three passes through the opening. My disabled son snatched his ticket and stuffed it into his pants pocket.

“Son, hang on to that ticket in your hand. I don’t want you to accidently pull your hand out of your pocket and lose your pass.” He grinned and pulled the ticket from his pocket squeezing it into his palm. We paced in front of a few stores, passing time before the movie. When the satin ropes were untied from the entrance we took our place in line.

Twice my son flashed his crumpled ticket for me to see. He stepped to the usher and he proudly unfolded his fingers to redeem his pass. To our surprise his palm was empty. Both boys began to frantically scan the floor. Only moments prior, he’d had the slip of paper. Thanks to the kindness of the woman behind the counter, she allowed us to enter since she had sold us the ticket.

I couldn’t help but think about our earthly efforts to secure our way through heaven’s gates. We accept Christ into our hearts, we’re baptized, and we earn our citizenship into heaven, or at least we think we do. We grasp tightly to the thought that we’ve somehow gotten an “admit one” ticket to heaven. In the beginning we clasp the pass in our palm occasionally flashing it for the world to see that we are “Christians.” We pull out our Christianity when it’s convenient to us, never considering that we may lose the golden pass. We take for granted we’ll slip through effortlessly.

However, what happens if we get to the door, open our fingers and find our ticket is lost – our citizenship denied? Scurrying to find it suddenly becomes meaningless. We have to make the effort to care for and manage our way into heaven. There is no free ride and we have to do our share to be the best we can be and do what God asks. Be prepared. Then should our ticket slip through our fingers we can look at the one who purchased it in the beginning –the one who paid the price in full and seek his loving mercy and forgiveness. Like the woman behind the booth, God will remember He sold us a ticket if we are repentant.

Hold on to the pass. Make the efforts to be what God wants. The reward is amazing.