#30 of 52 Spiritual Deposits: Those Were the Days  

My daughter and I enjoy looking over old photographs. When she was younger. When I was younger. Our memories are strong for those joyous times…the first bike ride, the first words “daddy,” the first day of school. Infant photos. Toddler photos. As her father, I remember them well. A simple glimpse of old photos allow us to fully enjoy moments from the past.

Guess what? Upon reflection, I seem only to recall the good times. The good memories. Those blessed times. Joyous fatherhood. No stomping. No fussing. No back talk. Rather, simple memories of joyful times, and the photos to prove it. Much like God must remember. His memory of our good times. Our faithful actions. Our loving nature. Caring for others. Forgetting our bad times, our mistakes, our sins. God only recognizes our saved soul and recalls our renewed life in Jesus Christ.

God has perfect memory. God has perfect eyesight. He has witnessed our deposits, our hearts, our intentions. He wants to play back His memory of what He’s seen in us. What He’s witnessed since we gave. God recorded not only our deposits, but the aftermath. The impact. God will show us how our Spiritual Portfolio truly touched the lives of others. He’ll show us all the good that came and will continue to come from our deposits. Our good deeds and actions on earth.

God’s photo album of those you cared for. The lives you changed. Those you touched. Those gifts. Those hours you invested. He wants you to see the dividends, the earnings, the lives you impacted. Imagine. We made it. We’re in Heaven. What to expect? What about our Spiritual Portfolio? What about those checks we wrote to the church, to those charities? The days spent in service, those countless hours spent in mission work? 

Did it matter? Will it matter? Do we believe we will be held accountable to the Lord? As a nation, we seem to think so. According to the AARP study, almost nine out of ten respondents (88%) who believe in Heaven, think they will achieve it. Women are more likely to believe they will get into Heaven (91%) than men (85%). Additionally, those who consider themselves “very” religious, almost unanimously think they will get into Heaven (97%), compared to “somewhat” religious (85%), or “not at all” religious (75%).[i]

Our Spiritual Portfolio is witness to others of our faith in Jesus. Our gifts, our tithes, our deeds and our service. A testament to our earthly decision to follow Christ, to imitate Christ, while on earth. An interest in bringing Heaven to earth, and acting on that interest today.