i stood beneath an orange sky

Today Ramin talked about eternity . . . the state in which we're now living, and the state that we will be living once we are living with God in His kingdom--the heavenly kingdom. For the last year or so, I've been trying to wrap my mind around this concept, and I've accepted that I'll never be able to . . . at least not in this life. I get that we'll be living with God in His kingdom eventually, but it's difficult to understand how we're living in it now. I believe we are, but I guess the weight of the world sometimes causes this view of the kingdom being here now fogs my understanding. But I know the kingdom is being established here on earth, and that, somehow, I am a part of that. As Ramin described his hopes concerning the coming kingdom, I began to daydream a bit about my own. I usually don't let my mind wander into that territory: dreaming about heaven . . . the streets of gold, the mansions, the angels, etc., but today I feel like God gave me a bit of a picture of what it just might be like. Actually, He simply reminded me of a beautiful sight I beheld just on Friday.

As I was driving back into Boulder from a short trip to Broomfield, the sun was setting. The day before, it snowed. When it snows here, it really snows on the mountains because it's colder up there. When driving back into Boulder, you can see the mountains that are far off--the real mountains, not these "dinky" foothills we have a good view of from the valley. (They're really not dinky at all . . . but in comparison . . . ). So anyway, the sun was setting, and the sky was painted with an indescribable set of colors . . . pinks, oranges, blues, and reds, all swirling together. Usually, snow-capped mountains appear to be white, but not at this moment; they were orange . . . and glowing. The snow allowed the colors to reflect upon it. I've never seeen anything quite like it. Only in God's kingdom can he bring so many colors to life . . . red skies and orange mountains.

And just to make the moment absolutely perfect . . . Before I had even realized the gorgeous display in front of me, I had turned my stereo on, and played this song by Alexi Murdoch.


Well, I had a dream
I stood beneath an orange sky
Yes, I had a dream
I stood beneath an orange sky
With my brother standing by
With my brother standing by
I said, Brother, you know you know
It’s a long road we’ve been walking on
Brother you know it is you know it is
Such a long road we’ve been walking on

And I had a dream
I stood beneath an orange sky
With my sister standing by
With my sister standing by
I said Sister, here is what I know now
Here is what I know now
Goes like this...

In your love, my salvation lies
In your love, my salvation lies
In your love, my salvation lies
In your love, in your love, in your love

But sister you know I’m so weary
And you know sister
My heart's been broken
Sometimes, sometimes
My mind is too strong to carry on
Too strong to carry on

When I am alone
When I’ve thrown off the weight of this crazy stone
When I've lost all care for the things I own
That's when I miss you, that's when I miss you, that's when I miss you
You who are my home
You who are my home

And here is what I know now
Here is what I know now
Goes like this..

In your love, my salvation lies
In your love, my salvation lies
In your love, my salvation lies
In your love, my salvation lies
In your love, my salvation lies
In your love, my salvation lies
In your love, my salvation lies
In your love, in your love, in your love

Well, I had a dream
I stood beneath an orange sky
Yes, I had a dream
I stood beneath an orange sky
With my brother and my sister standing by
With my brother and my sister standing by
With my brother and my sister standing by

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And in that moment I rested in the presence of God and in his beautiful kingdom He has already established on earth. But I missed my true home at the same time . . . "that's when I miss you . . . You who are my home."