The promise of Heaven is sweet! If your concept of heaven is drawn from movies and pop songs you really don't have a clue! Heaven is not earth minus sorrow and sickness. Heaven is a whole new, wonderful existence in the Presence of God. I get amused when I am drawn into discussions about pets being in Heaven or romantic ideas about big family reunions, but I understand why we desire that. That dog who gives us so much happiness, those moments of good feelings that come out of big family gatherings, are high points in life, so we assume that if Heaven is about joy, then these kinds of things must be it. If your mental image of Heaven is a lot of people in robes, strumming harps, and floating around on clouds, no wonder you don't look forward to going there.
Kevin Miller illustrates the difficulty that we have grasping the joy of Heaven in this way. "Let’s imagine that I tell my four-year-old son,
“Andrew, when you grow up, if you get married, your honeymoon will be one of the most delightful and wonderful times of your life.”
He says, “Oh, you mean I can take my toy dinosaurs along?”
“Uh, no . . . you probably won’t want to. But you'll still have a fantastic time.”
“Well, can Jeffrey from next door come along on my honeymoon?”
“No, sorry,” I tell him.
“I don’t know if I want to go on a honeymoon, Daddy. It doesn't sound like any fun.”
“Trust me, Andrew: you will enjoy it, even though you can’t understand it right now.”
Heaven will give us incredible joy—but at a higher, richer level than we've ever experienced. It’s natural not to understand it all now." Discipleship Journal : Issue 57. 1999
The Bible only sketches the outlines of what Heaven is like for that very reason! Even if the Lord tried to explain it all to us, we just wouldn't get it. The writers of Scripture use the images and language available in their attempts to describe what God was showing them about things that defy description. So you have Isaiah, Zechariah, and John telling us about amazing creatures that circle a Throne, about smoke, and seas of glass. We must not doubt their word, but we are wise to understand that they are using earthly language to tell us about a completely unearthly place! Thus, we must not force the metaphors too literally. If we do, we may miss the true wonder of what God has planned for our eternal home.
What do we know about Heaven that brings us hope and keeps us on track while we wait to go there?
God is there! "Uh, Jerry, how about something I don't know." I mean it! The God we've loved from a distance, Whose purposes and plans sometimes confuse us, Who actions are beyond our figuring out, will be our Friend, will be accessible, and we will worship Him face to face. John attempts to show us the wonder of that moment and says, "Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." (Revelation 21:3-4, NLT)
The beauty of it is beyond imagination. John talks about dazzling splendor, streets of gold, and pearly gates! Once again, he's using the language available to try to tell us about things for which there are no words. What I do know is that God is the Builder, the Architect, of the place where I will spend eternity. I can see what He's made here on Earth, a place ultimately destined for destruction, a temporary home - so I can only try imagine what He's done with the forever home He's prepared for His people.
All things are made new- no rust, no death, no sin! "And the one sitting on the throne said, "Look, I am making everything new!" (Revelation 21:5, NLT) If you know me, you are aware that I like automobiles. Mine always shines and I take pleasure (too much perhaps) when I get a new one. The one I drove off the lot last year is already showing the signs of use. There's a crack in the front bumper where a chunk of ice hit it last Winter. There are scratches in the paint from stones in the road. The carpet has become soiled despite my efforts to keep it clean. That's just life! Everything we know is subject to decay and all living things ultimately die. But, in Heaven, it's different. How? I don't know, but God promises all things new and no decay! Jesus urges us to "Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy..." (Matthew 6:20, NLT)
Joy will be complete! Life's happiest moments are always tinged with sadness here on earth, aren't they? I so enjoyed my grandsons visit for the last two weeks. When they snuggled up close with me, when we shared lunch at Hotdog Johnnie's, when they played in the yard and I listened to their little voices full of delight at bugs and beetles - it was great, a wonderful feeling. But, I knew that they would grow up in a few years and Grandpa would be the old guy they saw at Christmas, more and more remote from their lives. Heaven knows nothing of that kind of thing. There only joy reigns. There no ends are anticipated, no sorrow invades, no disappointment lurks in the shadows.
So, what about that opening line about dogs in Heaven? It was just there to get your attention! I don't know -- and in light of the glories I do know about -- I'm quite content to wait and see what God has planned about that little detail.
Are you prepared for Heaven? The only way to know, for sure, is to receive Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior today! If He is that to you, then this is your promise: "Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world." (Matthew 25:34, NLT) Believer, do not lose sight of Heaven. The promise keeps us on track when the Enemy tempts us with sin. Heaven;'s promise gives us hope when life's challenges rise up and seem ready to crush us. And, Heaven is our inheritance.
_______________________________
Sing the wondrous love of Jesus,
Sing His mercy and His grace;
In the mansions bright and blessed,
He'll prepare for us a place.
When we all get to heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We'll sing and shout the victory.
Onward to the prize before us!
Soon His beauty we'll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open,
We shall tread the streets of gold.
When We All Get to Heaven© Public Domain CCLI License No. 810055
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