January 31, 2013 (Thursday)
“..where Robert Frost, George Washington Carver and Noah Webster are all neighbors” — Carma Wadley, Deseret News
I recently viewed a very interesting two-hour special program about Henry Ford.* Perhaps you saw it also, on PBS. He led in creation of the Twentieth Century world by building the Model T, an affordable automobile which ushered in the modern age. When he became fabulously wealthy, he established Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan, where the pre-industrial world was celebrated. Upon entrance to the village, one got the feeling he had traveled through time into the previous century, and Ford loved to go there. The program pointed out the irony that Ford was not totally at home or happy in the world of his own creation — the industrial world. He much preferred Greenfield Village.
What about you? Are you happy in the world you have created for yourself? Or would you prefer, like Henry Ford, to have an alternate world available to you, where you could leave all your worries and fears behind and just be happy there?
Heaven is the perfect place, the destination of God’s people. We know that we eventually will live in Heaven. But did you know that the New Testament offers you a taste of Heaven here and now, in this world? Think about these Bible verses: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:” (Ephesians 1:1 KJV). “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:” (Ephesians 2:6 KJV). “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God;” “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:1,2 KJV).
Peace of mind and happiness is available to each of us through Christ. Perhaps we cannot go to Greenfield Village like Henry Ford did, or create our own alternate and virtual reality with mental gymnastics like the New Agers urge us to do, but we can live in this troubled world and have inner peace. What Christ offers is more down to earth and practical. Here it is: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” ()Philippians 4:6-7 NLT).
*Click here to watch full episode online — PBS “American Experience” Henry Ford