Advent is a time of waiting and preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. One day we will not need to wait anymore but see Jesus in heaven. But on earth, with the storms of life we grow weary and “hope to be home for Christmas”. Our true home is in Jesus’s home. Like the disciples, we asked Jesus, where do you live.

As i look at the young faces of the lives passing by, i reflected at the loss of my own life. I was not really destined to succeed since i am gay. It was so different from the teenagers of today easily accepting their own sexual orientation and be totally out of the closet.

When we are not meant to succeed, why are we so discouraged when we fail, accepting that surviving is a success by itself.

The markings on the back of a young man reads “Never give up”. God was speaking to me. We give up in a number of ways not entirely but diminishing Faith, hope, love. The battles of life made us broken and tired. We have nothing left of our lives.

I used to smile and rejoice a lot. But life has been very hard. I no longer smile and the joy of the Lord is not always  with me.

A few years ago, not only did i not missed church, i attended church not once but twice a day and even on holidays. I went to prayer meetings so fervently in the morning at 6am. I went to all the conferences at City harvest with the best speakers from around the world. I thought this was heaven but it was not.

We never really give up on the face of it, but our faith grows weary that God will come through for our situation, our hope of salvation on earth dampened, and our love for God and others grow cold and calculating.

As i walked on, I was reminded that I nearly died when i was young when i choked on ice cubes. So everyday i live is gain. There is no loss. Everyday is the grace of God in Jesus Christ.

We should never give up because the end is coming. We can never be fully ready for heaven by our strength and good works because we are already made ready in Jesus Christ by faith in his finished works.

What is heaven? We are already in heaven when Jesus in our hearts witnessed by the Holy Spirit of God. We are physically on earth but destined for heaven. The gate is through Jesus Christ not our own works or righteousness.

We are ready for heaven because Christ has made us a new creation heaven bound.  We prepare and be ready for heaven by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and hold onto these assurance of salvation.

Why did the bible ask us to be ready and salvation is for today? Because the devil can take our number anytime. If we are standing on a name other than Jesus, even if we are natural Jews or praising God the creator, we standing on dangerous ground. There is no liberal heaven but only one heaven.

Why would the lion and the lamb live together in heaven because we are all one in Christ Jesus because the light of the Son of God touches and changes all. If we wait until we can learn to live peacefully with each other, we will never reach heaven for this will be based on our good works rather than God’s grace.

Be happy, because the work is finished at the Cross. Everyday is a bonus. Everyday is grace and totally underserved. There is no expectation, no targets or goals to stress out for, no things to do or need to be done. For in the first place there was nothing.

Be gay. Be happy.