H eaven
because of health reasons. On board his ship was a famous personality. As the ship pulled into port there was a large crowd of people with banners, balloons, and a band to welcome the celebrity. As the old missionary walked down the gang plank, there wasn’t a single soul there to greet him. He felt sad and terribly disappointed. He lifted his eyes toward heaven and said, “Lord, did you forget?” The Lord replied, “My son, you’re not home yet!” g. Perhaps the greatest reward of all will be the closeness we share with God. In very colorful language the Bible speaks of us entering into the joy of the Lord (Matthew 25:23; John 15:11-12; 16:22). As C.S. Lewis once remarked, “Joy is the serious business of heaven.” TheNewTestament says thatwewill experienceunimaginable closeness with God. He will dwell with us (Revelation 21:1-7), and he will “dwell in us” (John 14:20; II Corinthians 5:5; Ephesians 1:13-14,23; 2:21-22). God will give us a new name (Revelation 2:17), and for all eternity we will be able to look into the face of love, into the very face of God (Revelation 22:4). Much of heaven will simply be searching out and enjoying who God is. He is infinite, eternal, all-powerful, all-wise, all-loving, all-holy, unchanging, etc. With great delight, and with romance beyond all words, we, the church, will be wed to Christ (Matthew 25:1-10; Ephesians 5:31-32; Revelation 19:6- 10; 21:2). (For other verses about our relationship with God see: Luke 10:42; 12:37-38; John12:26; 14:1-2; 17:5, 21-22;Romans8:29,35,37-39; ICorinthians 2:9; 13:12; 15:49; Ephesians 1:3,23; 3:8; Philippians 3:8; Colossians 2:2-3; I Peter 1:8; 5:1; Jude 24-25; Revelation 3:4-5,12,21; 22:3-4.)
12:36-42; Mark 4:22; Luke 12:2-9). At first this thought scared me, and it still does some, but it will also bring relief; no more secrets, no more pretending. We will know all there is to know about each other, which also answers the question of whether we will know each other in heaven. Yes, we will, in ways we never dreamed. According to scripture, believers will judge the world and angels (I Corinthians 6:2-3). The standard we have used in judging others will be one of the standards God will use to judge us (Matthew 7:1-2; Mark 4:24- 25). It other words, it pays to show mercy. If we have shown mercy, we can expect to receive more mercy (Matthew 5:7). I was once speaking with a terminally ill patient and she said she didn’t feel good enough to go to heaven. I said, “You’re not. That’s why we need a Savior.” I then told her the story of the brother and sister who had gotten their school pictures. The sister was complaining about how bad her pictures looked. She said, “These pictures don’t do me justice.” Her brother replied, “You don’t want justice, you want mercy!”—We all stand in need of God’s mercy, and that is the wonderful good news Jesus brings us. If we are willing to place our faith and trust in Him, and turn from our sins (repent), we will not only be forgiven, but we will inherit eternal life and all that I’ve just described. Pascal, the 17th century French mathematician/philosopher, said, “There are only two kinds of people one may call wise: those who serve God with all their heart because they know him, or those who seek God with all their heart because they do not know him.” We cannot undo the past, with its failures, sins, and omissions, but we can accept God’s forgiveness today, and begin living for him with a holy passion. We have but a short time here on earth to lay up treasure in heaven, but all have eternity to enjoy them. As C.S. Lewis said, “When the Author walks on to the stage the play is over.” I pray that you will know Christ’s incredible love for you, and that this love will become the
HEAVEN WILL BE A PLACE OF TOTAL DISCLOSURE
One of the more unsettling aspects of heaven is that it will be a place of total disclosure. If I understand correctly, on judgment day every thought, word, and deed will be exposed for all to see and hear (Matthew
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