The Way to Heaven

Today, our nation is pausing as President George H. W. Bush is laid to rest.
The past several days have seen me filled with so many thoughts and emotions as I have read about, and watched, the events surrounding his passing. From memories shared by his granddaughter, former White House reporters, and Washington colleagues - to remarks about his kind and generous character - to pictures of that loving dog, Sully, standing by his master one more time, my heart has been full of all kinds of emotion.
However, another tug at my heart has out-weighed the sentiment of remembering an outstanding human being. That is, in addition to the warm memories so many people have expressed about George H. W. Bush, it seems nearly as many have expressed joy at the thought of him being now reunited with his loving wife, Barbara, in heaven. And I delight in that image, also.
Because the thought of something greater than what we see here on earth - the expectation of an eternity where there will be no more death, no more tears, no more pain, no more division, nor anything else which plagues us - oh, how that hope lifts my soul! And as I witness the responses of men and women all over the country, I think it is safe to say - that hope is lifting their souls, too.
Yet, I feel this tug in my heart. This nudge to ask the question.

Do you know???
For all those who find comfort in the thought that Heaven awaits, do you know the Way?

I ask, because I fear too many people simply assume their present life will be followed by eternal life. (That's what I assumed!) I am afraid a lot of people believe a loving God wouldn't send them to Hell, so they expect their next stop is Heaven. My concern is for those who think, since Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world, they're good to go.
And my heart won't be settled until I tell the Truth.
Because the Truth is this: Eternal life - Heaven - is not a given. Just because Jesus died on the cross to pay for the sins of all mankind, doesn't mean anyone is automatically bound for Heaven. Rather, our eternal destination is determined by a choice each one of us must make - to trust in the saving work of Jesus Christ, or not.
Please hear me.
It is true - Jesus Christ left the glory of Heaven and came to earth. He lived a perfect life, without sin, so that He could become a sacrifice for us by dying on the cross in our place. (Because we all have sinned, and the justice of God demands that sin be punished. The Bible tells us the punishment for sin is death - eternal separation from God.)
So, yes, Jesus paid the price we owed and thereby purchased forgiveness of sins for us, salvation. And when He arose from the dead He made the way for us to have eternal life.
And, yes, it is true - God is loving, and He doesn't want anyone to spend eternity in Hell.
Still - He isn't going to force Himself (or Heaven) on anyone, either.

Jesus' death and resurrection is all that is necessary for us to have eternal life, but it calls for a response.

That is, just as a gift isn't yours until you accept it from the giver, so it is with salvation.
God's desire is that you would spend eternity in Heaven with Him, reconciled and restored to the perfect relationship for which He created you.
And He has provided the Way.
But the decision is yours.
It begins by you recognizing your need of a Savior.

Then, believing Jesus is that Savior and accepting the gift of salvation He offers, you must chose to follow Him.

And you need to know: While it is true - salvation is free - there is a cost to following Jesus.
That is, following Jesus isn't something you do simply to get a ticket to Heaven.
To trust in Jesus means you surrender control of your life to Him. You decide to live according to God's Word and His will, not your own. You find yourself saying, "No," to your desires - as God changes your heart to become more like Jesus'. And as you go through this transformation you discover you want nothing more than to be more like HIM, and less like the 'you' you used to be.
It's a wonderful exchange, really.
First, His life for yours.
And, second, your life for His.