I've Got a
Mansion
For all my readers who grew up in a
Baptist church, “I’ve Got a Mansion” is a song you most likely learned
as a child. I know I’ve probably sung the song dozens, if not
hundreds, of times in my lifetime, and it’s one I’ve always enjoyed
singing. After all, what can be better than singing about
heaven and getting a mansion to live in?
While co-leading a Bible study
recently, one of the attendees requested we sing “I’ve Got a
Mansion.” Since the song has an uplifting, “feel good”
message, I looked forward to singing it. Unfortunately, I paid special
attention to the words as I sang, and I surprised myself by disliking
them. Never before had I realized what a self-centered and
“all about me” message the lyrics portray.
My first clue of this was in the
last line of the first verse where it speaks of the singer wanting a
silver-lined, gold dwelling place. In verse two, there is the
expressed belief that the singer will be given a mansion of his/her
own. Verse three expresses the desire for a mansion, a harp
and a crown. Lastly, per the chorus, the singer won’t just be
given a mansion, but it will be a mansion just over the hilltop, in a
bright land where we’re never grow old.
Now, on the surface, the message
sounds great. Who wouldn’t want to be showered with such
priceless gifts and live in such opulence? I certainly
would!
However, as I sang the words of this
popular hymn, I tried to visualize a more realistic understanding of
heaven. What I came up with is that heaven is certainly not
about me getting a gold, silver-lined mansion over a hilltop. It’s not
about me getting a harp, a crown or walking on streets of
gold. I’ll never be able to do anything in my lifetime that
will merit my receiving these things. That I might receive any
of these items will be based solely on God’s grace and His promises of
providing for me.
I also anticipate feeling unworthy
to even be in the Lord’s presence, so I will approach Him with
humility, possibly falling prostrate at His feet. My sole
desire will be to worship Him, and give Him the glory and honor He
deserves. Therefore, heaven certainly won’t be about me. The
Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, paid for my entry into heaven with His
blood. Therefore, heaven is about Him. In reality, I
believe that I will be so overwhelmingly grateful for just getting to
be in heaven that I won’t care if God gives me a dilapidated, leaky,
shanty shack as my dwelling place.
I’m sure the author’s intent when
penning the lyrics of “I’ve Got a Mansion” was to inject an
anticipation within the singer to be excited about going to
heaven. But I have to admit, that day in June 2017 the lyrics
fell flat. I found the words’ message to be arrogant and
totally missing the mark of why one should really be excited about
going to heaven.
Receiving a beautiful, golden
mansion in heaven cannot compare to what the Lord has already given me
here on earth, such as love, mercy, forgiveness, peace and an abundance
of grace. Those are the gifts that are priceless, and I
already have them. Nevertheless, I’m excited about going to heaven so I
can join the celestial choir in singing the greatest song ever
written: “Worthy is the Lamb.”
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