In Heaven, No More . . .

Have you ever felt that life on Earth is consumed by competition? It exists in every facet of life: sports, politics, education, entertainment, and advertising.

As early as the Garden of Eden, competition showed up. Eve was presented with the dilemma of having to decide: Should I believe God or this serpent? We know what she chose, and it has been downhill ever since. The entire human race became bent.

But, a loving Creator immediately put into place a plan of rescue and restitution—the only One who could unbend the bent. I think of two little friends who were chatting about their fathers one day. My brother Timmy was one, and his next-door neighbor, Tommy, the other. At one point, the conversation began to warm up a bit as each boy extolled his own father’s achievements. Needless to say, it became a contest to outdo one another.

In the heat of the moment, Timmy began to sense he was losing the battle. Frantically racking his brain for something to match or exceed the glowing accomplishments of Tommy’s father, Timmy finally came up with this pitiful boast: “Well, my father has more bent nails than your father!” More bent nails. Certainly not the greatest prize-winning achievement to brag about. And yet there is a lesson that can be drawn from this desperation-driven youthful offering. No one can boast of more bent nails than our heavenly Father.

All His earthly children—every last one—is a bent nail.

And there is no one more qualified to straighten out a bent nail than He is. Think of Saul, the bounty hunter, out to murder Christians, who became Paul, perhaps the greatest Christian evangelist ever. Remember those “Sons of Thunder,” James and John, whose stormy natures were gentled under the influence of their Friend Jesus.

A day is promised when all things will be made new.

Revelation 21 and 22 paint a breathtaking portrait of what is in store. Forever, there will be no more tears, sorrow, crying, death, or pain, nor sin of any kind (see Revelation 21:4). And best of all, there will be no more bent nails!

Christine B. Nelson