The colors, the beauty, the mystery of where they might end up, the breaking free of earth’s gravity, it all excites me. I even enjoy the names of many of the balloons. Flying High, Brite-Stripes, Rainbow Promise, The Jesus Loves You Balloon, and one of my favorite names, The Freedom Balloon.

There is something sweet about the word freedom. Multitudes have risked everything to obtain freedom. I can imagine floating in a gondola, high in the sky, free from stress and the responsibilities of life for a few moments. A leisurely walk above the earth. But a fascination with balloons goes deeper than all of that. God has put within every person an ever-upward pull. A pull to be near our Creator, to be with Him. Only that realization will bring total fulfillment.

Elijah was caught up in a whirlwind in a chariot of fire without tasting death. He represents those Christians who are alive when Jesus comes back to this earth to take His bride, the church, home to Heaven. “For the Lord Himself shall come down from heaven, with a loud command with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that we who are alive and are left will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord forever.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (NIV).

Even in death the Bible refers to the silver cord that is broken and the spirit rising to God who gave it. (Ecclesiastes 12:6-7) Death for the Christian is freedom from this body and being present with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:19) Abraham looked upward to an eternal city made by God. (Hebrews 11:8-10) Enoch broke free from earth’s confines. “By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death; and he was not found because God took him up, for he had obtained the witness that before His being taken up he was pleasing to God.” Hebrews 11:5 (NASV)

Do you want to be caught up higher than a hot-air balloon can take you? Free from the confines of this earth? Live your life like Enoch, pleasing to God. God has filed a flight plan for you to follow - the Bible. Balloon pilots will tell you that hot-air balloons have limitations. They are subject to the wind and air-currents. To be truly free and break free of the confines of earth’s pull, we must be submissive to the wind of the Holy Spirit. We must subject ourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy heart that God has raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Romans 10:9-10 (NKJV)

I have had the privilege of flying in a hot-air balloon. My wife has and loved it. But someday soon, with multitudes of believers in Christ, I will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. I’ll break free from earth’s confines for good. We’ll dwell in that celestial city above with the Lord of lords and King of kings.

Do you feel that upward pull? Surrender to the wind of the Holy Spirit. Commit your life to Christ and follow His flight plan.

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36 (NASV)

How can you have that freedom in Christ and the assurance of eternal life? Knowing your sins are forgiven and you are ready for heaven is as simple as following these steps:

A. Admit you have sinned. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

B. Believe in Jesus. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

C. Confess and leave your sin. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)