It’s been a number of years now, but I was reminded of a time we took some out of town guests to Seattle for the day. It was a beautiful day and so we did the Space Needle. We parked the car . . . bought the tickets . . . and waited to get on the elevator and go up to the top. So when did we actually get to the Space Needle? I’m thinking that if you had asked me, “Where are you?” while I was standing in line, that I would have replied, “I’m at the Space Needle.” Even though I wasn’t actually on the structure . . . not yet physically standing on the observation deck . . . I probably would have considered myself “there.” My ticket was bought . . . I could look up from the base and see where I was going . . . and, I knew how I was going to get there — by the elevator. For all intents and purposes I was there. All that was left was the ride up. Hebrews reminded me this morning that heaven’s kind of like that . . . I’m there . . . all that’s left is the ride up.

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the Mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.    (Hebrews 12:22-24 ESV)

Sometimes I can think that it is so far away . . . so distant. But the Spirit says that believers have come to the city of the living God . . . that it is a done deal . . . that we’re there . . . standing in line . . . all that’s left is the ride up.

I have come to heaven’s gates.  Oh, that I would set my mind and my focus on things above. That, through the eye of faith, I might see Mount Zion before me . . . the heavenly Jerusalem, city of the living God . . . knowing that just “up there” is a drop-you-to-your-face throng of heavenly beings. That, having been made part of the assembly, I’m registered as a citizen of heaven. Knowing that my name is written in the book . . . my reservation is recorded . . . and I’m just this side of being with that group of people who have been redeemed from every tongue, kindred, and nation.

I have come to God . . . He who is the judge of all and who, by His mighty hand, has provided the means for justification of all . . . so that whoever believes would know the imputed righteousness of Christ and, themselves, be counted as righteous and perfect. The awesome, holy, majestic God is just before me . . . and surrounding His throne are those who, like myself, have been declared “just by faith” and have already made the trip.

And, I’ve come to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant. I’m there . . . just a short ride away from beholding my great High Priest . . . facedown before my Savior, the One, who with His own blood, sealed God’s better promises . . . the One through whom God has spoken a better word.  I’m not gonna be there . . . I’m there . . . able now to enjoy His presence . . . able now to fellowship with Him through the indwelling Spirit of God . . . able now to bow before Him and worship Him.

What a difference it can make to know afresh that we have come to the city of the living God . . . our ticket has been purchased by the blood of the Lamb . . . our passage has been secured by the power of His Spirit and the abundance of His sustaining grace . . . and, while our final transport will either be by death or by air at His return, transported we will be. All that’s left is the ride up!

So what do we do while we’re standing in line?

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe . . .    (Hebrews 12:28 ESV)

Let’s do it!