At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Matthew 11:25

“Where is heaven, Grams?” she asked. 

I nearly fell, head first into my car trunk as I neatly packed the grocery sacks, fumbling for just the right words. Her question wasn’t formed from a five-year-olds natural curiosity, but rather her heart’s longing to know Mammie’s new address.

It had been six months since Mammie’s unexpected passing and I’d been expecting this question, but hearing her vocalize it made answering it exceptionally daunting.  I knew my words would matter, because they would influence her hope and faith. I feared getting it all wrong and wondered how to explain what I couldn’t fully grasp myself. What simple, truthful answer could I offer her to this question that stumps even the greatest theologians?

I slammed the trunk shut, the question still hung between us. I swung the empty carriage around and lifted her into the car as I searched for just the right words. I breathed a desperate prayer heavenward, wherever that was, “Lord, I need your words…NOW!” She climbed into her car seat and secured her buckle, and asked again. “Where is heaven, Grams?”

Placing my finger on her heart, I explained, “Heaven is right here. It’s as close as the air we breathe.”

She looked baffled and I knew she needed something more concrete, but how do explain the here and the not yet and all that is unseen to a child? So, right there in the grocery store parking lot, my heart cried out again, “Lord, I need your words, right now, because this matters to her.”  And, I tried again. “When Jesus was born, he brought heaven to earth and when we ask Jesus to forgive us and live in our hearts then, we bring heaven to everything around us. It’s not up in the sky, but right here, right now.”

“But where does Mammie live, Grams?”

Oh! Yes, her heart wanted to know where Mammie lived and would she see her again.

I tried again. “Well, the Bible says that if Jesus lives in our hearts we will live with him forever in heaven. We can’t see heaven with our eyes right now, but when Jesus comes back, the Bible says there will be a new heaven and a new earth and all of those we loved who died and love Jesus will be there, too.”

“And Mammie? We’ll see her again and we’ll all be together, right!?” she asked as a smile burst from her lips and her hands clapped in celebration.

“Yes, that’s right.” And that’s all that mattered to her as she sat wondering where Mammie lived now.

Oh, that we would grasp the faith of a child—simple and pure and joyful—and not burden ourselves with all the details.  Because when we get bogged down in all the details of our faith or even in the details of our every day life, we miss Him.

We don’t have to get it all right or say it just so. Jesus humbly asks us to come to Him. Intentionally draw near and he will lift our heavy burdens—those daunting details—and replace them with His rest.

If you’re ready to lay it all down and take on child-like faith, Jesus says:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11: 28-30

We serve a gentle, humble-hearted Jesus who brought heaven to earth over 2,000 years ago.  May you be drawn to Him today and be blessed with a child-like faith and rest for your soul.

 Merry Christmas,

Dawn Aldrich

Author, Blogger