Heaven doesn’t have emergency meetings.
Calling All Floor Pacers
I glanced at the clock in the hospital’s surgical waiting room. My heart was racing faster than the second hand ticking away the time. My five-year-old daughter was having a cyst removed from her leg.
The procedure was scheduled at the hospital after a failed attempt in the surgeon’s medical office. What were they thinking? A young child was going to lay on her stomach while they numbed and performed the incision, removal, and stitching? Really?
We could hear her crying and screaming down the hallway. The doctor advised we were moving to plan B—under anesthesia at the hospital. “She’s not going to cooperate for us to do it here at our offices.”
Well doc, I could have told you that. Yet, I didn’t want deep sedation either. I’d wished there was another option. But the cyst had grown and spread into her calf’s muscle tissue. It would be tested for cancer. I was worried.
I’m a floor pacer, panicking in body and spirit. Especially when my children and family are involved. Sweet relief came when the surgery was over and the lab results were normal.
Emergencies Don’t Exist Here
A few years later, my husband accepted a youth pastor position, and we moved to a new town. Our lead pastor was David Landrith. I’ll forever remember a thought he shared from his seminary professor in a sermon, “There’s never been an emergency meeting in heaven. There’s never been an emergency meeting of the trinity.”
God never has or ever will pace heaven’s floor. Jesus has no need to wring His nail-scarred hands in worry. The Holy Spirit doesn’t declare a state of emergency over heaven’s intercom due to our circumstances. No matter how dire our lives may seem. Jumping on an urgent conference call is not necessary with the triune God. There’s absolutely no hint of fear, nervousness, or frenzied panic in the heavenly realm.
Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. Revelation 4:2 NASB
God is seated on His throne. He is in control. Even when plan A and plan B are different than what we had in mind.
I Told You
We were privileged to link ministry arms once again with David and his wife, Jennifer, along with their kids for a year at another church. My daughter had grown into an eighth grader and our son, a fourth grader. When we moved to our present location, we kept in touch with the Landrith family.
A few years ago, the unthinkable happened. Pastor David Landrith was diagnosed with cancer and went to heaven in 2014. Until the end, he continued to place his trust in God’s faithfulness and sovereignty. I imagine him in God’s presence looking down at us saying, “I told you.”
There’s no emergencies in heaven. I’ve often relayed the sentiment to others and kept the words close to my heart during troubled times.
Heaven doesn’t have emergency meetings—ever. Let the words resonate deep in your soul. The Lord is large and in charge—always. In the unknown and heartaches of life, that assurance brings hope. Today and every day.
*Note: This post is a revision of an original work that first appeared online at Christian Devotions, No Emergency Meetings in Heaven, Spirit & Body, January 9, 2016. Visit them online for more inspirational devotions by me and other authors.
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