Experiencing Heaven on Earth: Thoughts from Pastor Art

Pastor Art Snow • February 7, 2022

Inspiration. Where does yours come from?

Some might answer, music, others a walk through the woods, still others reading ancient Greek poetry. Most of my inspiration comes while riding my motorcycle through the backroads of rural America where there is more wildlife than people.

“Most of my inspiration comes while riding my motorcycle through the backroads of rural America where there is more wildlife than people.”

A recent journey: The Story of this Years Theme

Last October I decided to visit my daughter in Detroit, which is about nine and a half hours from my front door. But instead of a boring ride on the interstate, I decided to take Rt 6 all across Pennsylvania into Ohio, which by the way is a two-lane road.

The smell of fresh pine was in the air, the deer were feeding by the side of the road and the farmers where doing what farmers do in their fields. As is was laying my bike into a gentle sloping curve, I heard the words “Experiencing Heaven on Earth”, Eureka, that was it.

I had been asking God to give me the preaching theme for 2022 and in the middle of a country curve, it showed up. When I arrived home and met with the preaching team we all agreed, although the theme was right, the words fell short from what we felt the theme truly was meant to be and instead we decided on a graphic to better convey where God was taking us this year (pictured above).

Resources to Bolster this Years Journey

Because of my love for books, concepts often remind me of the rare gems sitting on my bookshelves. When I heard the Holy Spirit say to me; Experiencing Heaven on Earth” three books automatically came to mind. 

First, “The Divine Dance” by Richard Rohr. In this masterfully written book Rohr introduces his readers to a beautiful description of The Trinity originated by the Cappadocian Fathers of the 4th Century.

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, share in a “circle dance” (perichoresis, peri moving around one another and Choresis, dance). The beauty of this picture is all three of them are inviting us into the dance with them.

“The beauty of this picture is all three of them are inviting us into the dance with them.”

We often think of the Trinity as a hierarchy, with The Father being at the top of the flow chart, with the Son being just below Him and finally The Holy Spirit dangling below the other two in subjection to them. Instead of the three of them sharing in mutual love and affection for one another Co-powerful, Co-existant and Co-eternal.

Rohr in his book offers the following picture of The Trinity; …”Isn’t it telling and more I think interesting, that the basic building block of our entire physical universe is what we call the atom? And the atom is simply understood as the orbiting structure of three particles-proton, electron, and neutron-in constant interplay with one another…..believe it or not, the explosive power is found in the interaction between them. It is called nuclear power, and it can change everything.” 

Ah yes may all of us join in the dance this year and experience their love and power, and presence. 

Second, one of my favorite devotionals, Days of Heaven on Earth by A. B Simpson. It is a green, tattered, worn, and dog-eared book sitting on a shelf directly across from my desk. In the Devotional for May 3 Mr. Simpson closes his thoughts with the words; “The real secret of perfect rest is to be jealously, habitually occupied with Jesus.”

This year as we experience the Divine Dance of the Trinity, may we be jealously, habitually occupied with Jesus. Asking Him to be a part of every minute of our day, communicating with Him, because He is as close as our breath. Breath in, breathe out as you move through the dance. 

The third book that came to mind was “Heaven Awaits the Bride, A Breathtaking Glimpse of Eternity” by Anna Roundtree.  In this mind-blowing book Anna chronicles her many trips she took to Heaven accompanied by an angel. This author is truly a modern day mystic whose walk with Jesus is so close she shares His heartbeat. The book begins with a description of two churches; one the true Bride of Christ and the other a false church made up of religious people. She takes the reader through the Sandcastles, into the hall where the angels are being trained, atop the eagles nest, through the corrupted strata, into the bowels of the Dragon, to the throne of God and finally the Fathers lap. The book culminates in the ceremony of formal betrothal where Anna is given a ring by her Bridegroom. Her closing words are actually a song; 

Come down, our glorious Majesty!

Come down, our righteous King!

Decend in holy fire once more

With hosts past numbering !

Come Lord Jesus

What a year we will have if we join our Tri-une God in their dance, while habitually being occupied with the three of them, crying out for our Glorious and Majestic King to walk with us each and every day ! 

I would like to invite you to spend five minutes prayerfully gazing at the graphic, allow the mystery to draw you in as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit call you into their dance, allow them to lead the dance, following with a fully submitted heart.

Remember sin disturbs the rhythm, corrupting its beauty. May 2022 be a year of your intimate dance with our majestic God. Go ahead take your first step !

Pastor Art Snow | February 7 2022

Edited and Adapted for Web Use by: Eric Muñoz Jr.