This is an amazing time of the year. We have so many things to be blessed about. A warm house, a good roof, a family that really cares, and a church that matters to my heart, soul, and mind. So many.

This year is different of course. We were gonna host the whole family for Thanksgiving, but after the current surge of illnesses, we talked and decided that the future was better than the present. So, Lisa and I celebrated alone. Just the two of us and a 23-pound turkey. So, we had lots of leftovers. On Saturday we made 11 dinners and froze them. Ah, leftovers.

We live in a leftover world. After sin entered the world at the garden of Eden all the world became leftovers. Not bad leftovers either. In fact, a world of leftover beauty, joy, and hope. Leftover mountains, leftover oceans, leftover deserts, and leftover beauty and sins. Fallen beauty that awaits the redemption of Christ and groans until that day.

Now, our problem is that we can fall in love with the leftovers, becoming satisfied with what we see and receive. Now, I am not saying that the sky at night or a perfect sunset or sunrise isn’t great. Just remember that it is leftovers. And sooner or later, you are gonna get tired of it.

Why? Because no matter how good it is, even if it started out perfect, it has lost something in the storage… God created it perfect and we settle for imperfection simply because we don’t have perfection to compare it to.

But we will!  When Jesus comes again, all creation will attain a beauty that it used to have. Then, we will experience that perfection. It’s called Heaven: a perfect place, no leftovers at all.

You see, leftover have problems: leftover health issues, leftover love issues, leftover creation. We’ve gotten used to it all, but we really don’t like it. Pain is a symptom that leftover isn’t working anymore. But Heaven has no pain. That’s why it isn’t a land of leftovers.

So, what can we do? Don’t fall in love with the leftovers. Enjoy what you can, and love what you can, but realize this is a land of leftovers. Wait until heaven when all is brand new and real beauty shines. Until then have a turkey leg on me…

God bless you.

Pastor Bill