There was a cute Pop song a while back, and then from the chorus, it gave us our title, and somewhat for us to ponder over, “I’ve been to paradise, but I’ve never been to me.” How many of us are really comfortable in our own skin, but when the lights go down, when the music fades, when the hustle and bustle of life quietens down, when the party is all over, and the guests have all gone, what then? When it is all down to just you, are you still comfortable in your own skin, in your own world, within your own thoughts, in your own life, in your own feelings and emotions, are you content with your progress, right where you are in life, or have you discovered this, “I’ve been to paradise, but I’ve never been to me!”
Has your life had you chasing your tail, keeping up with the ‘Joneses,’ living somebody else’s dreams and aspirations, trying to walk in another’s plans and desires, chasing after their fleeting dreams, with goals that seem to evaporate like the morning mists, Ecclesiastes 1:14 “I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.” Have you discovered that all is vanity and vexation of spirit, trying to live up to another’s expectations and dreams, and in that still small voice you finally realize this, “I’ve been to paradise, but I’ve never been to me.” 1 Kings 19:12-13 “And after the earthquake a fire; [but] the LORD [was] not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was [so], when Elijah heard [it] that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, [there came] a [quiet and compassionate] voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?” Elijah just got so busy with the cares of this life, busy with this, and with that, preaching and evangelism, and after performing all those other very important things, Elijah came to the point that after it was all said and done, “I’ve never been to me.” His relationship with God had faded, his prayer life had dimmed, the ‘cares of this life,’ had drowned out God’s still and quiet voice, Isaiah 59:1-2 “Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid [his] face from you, that he Will not hear.”
Is God even hearing your voice in Prayer; Luke 18:1 “And he spake a parable unto them [to this end], that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;” how is your relationship with God, is it full strength, is it weak and feeble, or has it faded away to a whimpering whisper, what has come between you and your God, what has quenched things in your life, what cares and perplexities, those toils and trials, what has separated you from God, and in the still and quiet time, you discover just like Elijah, you have been busy doing, busy like a blow fly in a bottle, lots of busyness, but nothing to show for it, “I’ve been to paradise, but I’ve never been to me.” John 14:14-16 “If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do [it]. If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;” In Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit, that is where the real ‘You,’ actually resides, that is where the amazing ‘Me’ is, then you can sing, “I’ve been to paradise, for in Christ, I have become complete, and this is the real me.”
Maybe we should be true to ourselves, Matthew 11:28-30 “Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke [is] easy, and my burden is light.” When all is said and done, Matthew 16:26 “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Are you rushing about, doing this, and doing that, cares of this life, busy, busy, busy, with no time for your own health and safety, when all is said and done, “I’ve been to paradise, but I’ve never been to me.”
Here is a Bluegrass song that is very relevant; “I travelled alone, upon this lonesome way, My burdens so heavy, and dark was my day, I looked for a friend, not knowing that He, Had all of the time, been looking for me
Chorus; Now, it is Jesus and me, for each tomorrow, For every heartache, and every sorrow, I know that I can depend, upon my new found friend, And so till the end, it’s Jesus and me. The road may be long, to Heaven’s pearly gates
I know that it’s narrow, and I know that it is straight, But Jesus is there, through eternity, We’ll travel along, just Jesus and me. Chorus; Now, it is Jesus and me, for each tomorrow, For every heartache, and every sorrow, I know that I can depend, upon my new found friend, And so till the end, it’s Jesus and me. Forever I’ll sing, of his great love for me, Forever I’ll tell it, on land and on sea, I’ll stay by his side, contented I’ll be, For all of my life, it’s Jesus and me. Chorus; Now, it is Jesus and me, for each tomorrow, For every heartache, and every sorrow, I know that I can depend, upon my new found friend, And so till the end, it’s Jesus and me.” As the song goes, “I’ve been to paradise, but I’ve never been to me.” When will you discover ‘real life,’ ‘real peace,’ ‘real happiness,’ for to obtain that, you will only find that it is bound up in Jesus Christ, so commit to this, “Now, it is just Jesus and me, for each tomorrow, for every heartache, and every sorrow, I know that I can depend, upon my new found friend, And so till the end, it’s Jesus and me.” Now in Christ, I find completion, fulfillment, that reality now, I find that real me, In Christ Jesus our Lord, for in him, now “I’m true to me,” and for eternity and paradise above, then are you also ‘In Christ?’ Will you sing it now this way; “so I’ll then live forever in paradise, cause I live the real me, “In Christ?” Or the only other choice is this one, “I’ve never been to paradise, and I’ve never been to me,” and now without Christ, I’m Lost Eternally!”
