When hot air balloons, a conversation can go from bad to ugly. When a balloon is filled with hot air, it can go from loose and baggy to beautiful.

There is something captivating about hot air balloons. Once during a trip to New Mexico, I was fortunate to have a room that faced the mountains, and the land between the hotel and the mountains served as a launching pad for hot air balloons. As each balloon slowly filled with air, it would begin to gently rise upward and would eventually float up into the sky and out of sight. This event reaches a grand scale each year during the month of October when Albuquerque has its annual festival.

Whenever I see a balloon launch, I’m reminded of the words of Solomon: “the dust of mortals goes back to the ground as it was before, and the breath of life goes back to God who gave it (Eccl. 12:7).” The “breath of life” is a reference to the spirit that dwells within you.

The words of Jesus help to explain this: “Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life (John 5:24).”

Just as the hot air gives life to the balloon, the regenerated spirit gives eternal life. When life ends, Jesus makes an eternal difference. You can pass from “death to life.”

What is it that you think of when you see a hot air balloon in flight? Watch this time lapse video of the Albuquerque festival, and share your thoughts.