HEATHROW - Heaven or Hell?

How big is the world? We’re constantly being told that the world is getting smaller but having just flown 4000 miles in a pretty boring 9 hours, it still seems pretty big to me. I know that is still amazing, finding myself in Chicago 12 hours after leaving home, but looking down on the Atlantic Ocean, flying above the clouds in the bright blue sky of the heavens, the world is still an awesome place – in the literal sense of the word (awesome – adjective – inspiring awe)

Yet despite looking up to the heavens – 35000 feet closer than usual – and asking the same ancient question, ‘what is man that you (God) are mindful of him’, whilst waiting at Heathrow I was reminded that the world is much smaller than I think. In the terminal waiting and queuing, queuing and waiting, I was acutely aware that the world was in the same room as I was. All around me were people with different accents and languages, different starting points and different destinations, yet we were suddenly in that moment all the same. All of us in one place at one time, able to sit with one another, drinking the same drink (Starbucks in this case).

A glimpse of Heaven (or Hell!). What stories could be told, love, tragedy, hope, despair, yet for that moment all together with one thing in mind – when does our gate open?

If I could see people as God sees us all, waiting, on a journey, will we get to the gate in time? It’s open. Is it possible that Heathrow on a Thursday morning in July could give me a glimpse of eternity? Could it be possible that there will be a Starbucks in the new heaven and new earth? Only time will tell!