Stairway to Heaven

Readings: Genesis 28:10-17, Ephesians 4:17-28, Matthew 9:1-8

Most of us remember the song "Stairway to Heaven"...at least parts of it. In Genesis the first use of "Stairway to Heaven" was used by Jacob--he makes no mention of any bustles in any hedgerows. What he did see, however, in his dream was incredible. "He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it" (28:12). Jacob's explanation was "How awesome is this place! This none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven" (28:17). What a vision for us to carry.

So how can we be a part of that stairway? By living as children of the Light as is taught to us in Ephesians. We are cautioned to not live only the mundane lives that the world offers. It's just too easy to get separated from our spiritual self if we do so.  "They are harkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of their ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts" (4:18). Unlike the lady in the song, we won't be purchasing our place on the stairway to heaven with our earthly gold. That just won't do it; our souls need to be in the transition to be as pure as the purest gold. It's not easy, but we can do it, step by step. 

We also need always remember that living as Children of the Light is going to seem odd to many. If we look to and follow Christ's example each day, we're going to make some of those around us uncomfortable and flat out anger others. One of many examples of Christ's difficulties of living as the Light is given in Matthew when he was preparing to heal a paralytic man. The Jewish teachers and keepers of Jewish law were always on the watch for Jesus to break Jewish law so they could levy charges against him. He always, of course, knew this was their plan. He asked them, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins..."(9:4-6) and then he told the man to get up and to go home--which he did. The Jewish teachers and keepers of the law couldn't see that Jesus was beyond their limited laws...his way takes us all higher on that stairway to heaven.

Peace be with you.