just imagine

On the way to work at the beginning of January, a billboard caught my eye on Peachtree Industrial Blvd. At first glance, the billboard had two beautiful stained glass windows, side by side. The next day as I passed by I read the billboard further and noticed that one stained glass window had the words "Imagine" while the window to the right had two words "No Religion." My first thought was "who would put up such a billboard in the Bible belt?" Another day passed and while on my way to work again, I finally read the smaller print across the bottom that stated the ad was placed by a group advocating "freedom from religion." First, as a citizen in the U.S.A. our "Bill of Rights" promises us freedom of religion, not from religion. Our country was settled by many who fled England so they could worship God freely. Second, the phrase "imagine no religion" is a thought provoking statement and was the first phrase of "Imagine" - a beautiful tune written by John Lennon of the Beatles in the late 1960's. I was in junior high at that time and seem to remember that the Beatles lost a lot of fans, especially when John Lennon declared that they were more popular than Jesus Christ. My parents forbade us from listening to them after that. Ironically, much of the song's lyrics this "dreamer" wrote about will come to pass during the Millennium, the 1000 year reign of Christ, after the Great Tribulation, all thanks to Jesus Christ. Another thought which came to mind that week was "why do people think all religion is bad?" The Bible has much to say about religion and there is good religion (pure and undefiled) and bad (the Pharisees were religious but not saved.) I do not believe the option of "no religion" would be a positive thing. I was also irritated that someone would put this slogan on a billboard and that I had to drive by it every day. But God met my need during that week. On the following Sunday and for the rest of January, we would begin our services at church using a song written by Cindy Berry titled "Just Imagine." The main focus of the song is that we should try to imagine how it would be to live in Heaven and not on earth, "to walk on streets of gold" and "gather around the throne and sing praises to the Lamb." The song ends with the phrase, "Just imagine when Jesus comes again." God used that song to help my drive to work during that month. As soon as my eyes would see the billboard each morning, I would burst into song, "Just imagine when Jesus comes again!"