President's Desk

Dear friends,

By the time my older son, Joel, was only four years old (he's now twice that), our pediatrician had begun calling him "the philosopher." Perhaps the doctor was responding to Joel's sober expression and quiet, thoughtful nature, but he couldn't have chosen a more appropriate nickname. Almost as soon as Joel could talk he began to ask philosophical and theological questions. He still asks them, and quick answers will never do. A twenty-minute (or longer) in-depth discussion is what he wants. David (now five), is a study in contrasts. He tends to be boistrous and kinetic, a definite hands-on learner. It's a red-letter day when he sticks with a theological point for longer than about twenty seconds.

I'm amazed at how much each boy can absorb from our discussions, especially surprised at what David picks up "on the run." Recently I was talking with Joel about heaven, responding to question after question. David was in and out of the room, playing with his Hot Wheel cars. At one point he interrupted with a question of his own. Still looking down at his cars, he asked, "Will the mansions in heaven be as good as the one in Blank Check (a movie about a boy who acquires $1 million, with which he buys and 'customizes' a castle-style home)?" I replied with 1 Corinthians 2:9, saying that heaven is better than anyone of us can possibly think or imagine. That led to a flurry of questions from Joel while David busily continued arranging his miniature vehicles.

Two weeks later, as I was driving across town with David and a friend of his, Thomas, I overheard the two boys talking about heaven. Thomas affirmed that it's a great place because God lives there, and He's the best. David agreed but expounded further:

In heaven we get a huge house, a house so big that every kid gets a bunch of rooms, one room full of beds for the kid and all of his friends to sleep over, a huge room full of toys, another full of books, and another full of videos, video games, and computers. And from all the kids' rooms there are water slides into a big pool where the water is never too hot and never too cold. The mom has a bunch of rooms, too, one full of dresses and another full of make-up bottles with an automatic make-up machine. And when the dad needs to go on a trip, he doesn't have to take a plane. He can get there right away. And he can talk a hundred times faster, too.

I bit my lip hard to keep from chuckling. How wonderful to hear the soaring of his imagination and enthusiasm! This was no time to worry about theological "correctness." I began to wonder how many adult believers would be able to pour out this much description-not to mention breathless anticipation-of our future home in heaven. It's a challenge I want to lay before us all. Imagine what encouragement and other blessings might come from our attempt to explore and integrate all that the Bible tells us about heaven. What if we were to express our findings on paper-even knowing that our best effort would fall short of the real thing. Let me know what happens in your life if you do take up this challenge.

Yes, David's words also motivate me to keep my speaking trips as short as possible. And if anyone sees an ad for an automatic make-up machine, perhaps you could let Kathy know.

Sincerely,

Hugh Ross