Earth and Heaven

On earth we walk in darkness, not knowing where to turn,
Knowing less and less, as more and more we learn.
“That sounds right to me, but on the other hand…”
Will there ever be a time we finally understand?

On earth our dreams get shattered; things can change so fast.
The world is moving our way, then suddenly a blast
From out of nowhere stops us, we never quite break through;
Is there a place beyond the rainbow where all our dreams come true?

On earth we don’t quite finish all the things we start;
Another incomplete, another missing part.
If we only had more time, we’ve only just begun.
Will there ever be a time when things, unfinished here, get done?

On earth we feel so empty, so dissatisfied;
Pleasure doesn’t make us happy, the television lied.
Money doesn’t fill the void; we yearn for something more.
Where is the missing piece we keep on searching for?

On earth we get hurt badly by people with no feeling,
We search in vain for a place of justice & of healing.
In anger we discover how unfair life can be,
Can nothing make it right? Can nothing set us free?

On earth we make mistakes and struggle with our guilt,
We wonder if a life destroyed can ever be rebuilt.
Our sins cost us more than we ever meant to pay.
Can we ever go back home once we’ve gone astray?

On earth our faith is challenged and helpless mothers cry,
When heartless men and nations let little children die.
Greedy systems murder with no one to indict.
Can all this senseless evil ever be made right?

On earth we hide from death and pray there’s something more.
We hope there is a Heaven, beyond that scary door.
When we lose our loved ones, there is no greater pain,
Are they gone forever? Will they live again?

All once lost will be restored, once bound will be set free.
Every good and perfect gift will ours forever be,
All the pain we knew on earth could never be made right
Will heal and be no more when bathed in heaven’s light

We are meant to be here and hell cannot defeat
The promises of God to make our lives complete;
To bring back all once lost, to make right all once wrong,
To heal our broken hearts, restore our silenced song.

It’s not so far away as many might perceive;
Love will bring it near if only we’ll believe
That we are deeply loved and nothing can compete
With what God has in store for us when like a grain of wheat

We fall to earth and die, but only to be raised
To see a perfect world and ‘ever be amazed.
Love received and given reveals what God will do
To overcome our pain and make our lives all new.

Love received and given reveals what God has done
To heal our selfish nature and make His children one.
As we forgive our debtors and give freely to the poor,
Instead of having less and less, we gather more and more

If only we could die to self and rise with Him in glory,
We'd finally know the truth and tell the old, old story
of victory in Jesus, joy in the midst of pain,
light in the midst of darkness, sunshine in the midst of rain.

There is a place by us not seen, where, by faith, we go.
There is a time by us not measured, where, by grace, we grow.
Living out what we receive within the Bread and Wine:
Dying, rising, loving…one with the Divine.