Two Sets of History Books

USGN article
by Terry Franklin
May 1998

I believe that in heaven there are a set of history books that read far different than what we see here on earth. Here we look at things like how much money a person made, or how much influence they had. In the music world we might look at how many awards they had won, or how many people mentioned their name, or how many people had attended their funeral, to come up with a gauge of how great a person really was.

But in heaven there are a very different set of history books, ones that look at motive, obedience to God and humility. All of these are matters of the heart, but they all deeply affect our actions.

I can imagine we'll see people walking the streets of heaven who were never known here. The heavenly history books will be filled with names of people who wore well the garment of obscurity. Whole chapters will be written about that individual who played his guitar and traveled in an old station wagon hauling a U-Haul trailer to sing in nursing homes, prisons, and flea markets.

Of course, there will be some written up in our history books that will also receive mention in the history books in heaven. But some, who we thought for sure would have a whole book written about them, will be totally omitted in the books of heaven. Matthew 7:22 says "Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you; away from me you evil doers!" These were obviously people in the ministry, and were no doubt shocked that God would not even let them into the kingdom...much less give them print space in the celestial ledger.

Gang, these are days when we need to get the heart of God about what He wants us to do. Being well known, of great influence, and acknowledged by the masses is not a bad thing. But it can certainly be dangerous and it's the rare person who has been able to walk that path with a heart that stays true to Jesus. And every once in a while God might call one of us to do something similar to what he did in Philip's life, taking him away from the massive revival going on in Samaria and placing him in the middle of the desert where he led the Ethiopian eunuch (just one man) to Christ. Would that we could have that kind of a heart and that kind of obedience to our Master. I can't wait to read the history books in heaven to discover the great men and women of faith whom I've never known.

The legendary basketball coach, John Wooden said it well: "Better to be unknown here on earth, but known in Heaven."

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©1998 Terry & Barbi Franklin.