I just had this text sent to me - and it triggered another wonderful mind map! "Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it." Gen 28:12 It's the dream that Jacob had, where God promised something beautiful would come from his line. The ladder, which was constructed from earth to heaven, was a symbol of Jesus - God's method of reconnecting us with the source of our belonging
It reminded me of another story of a construction that began on earth and was designed to reach heaven. This was a tower, built by the efforts of man, with sweat and hard toil. They were determined that God would not shut them out of heaven forever! They would forge their own way into heaven! Of course, we know they never would have made it, even if God had not gotten tired of their stupidity and made them unable to understand each other. But it made a very clear point in my head.
There are two ways we can follow in our attempts to make it to God. One is doomed to failure. It is the one where we pour our efforts and determination into doing what we need to do to get there! All it will bring is discouragement and confusion. The other is a bridge, built by the Son of God himself! And by immersing ourselves in who he is, we find our way home. 'He' is the way - not the 'doing'. Our behaviours just become more beautiful as we absorb who he is.
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