“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” (I Timothy 6:12)
The only way this world makes sense is because of eternity. Because God is using everything we go through down here to prepare us for everlasting life with Him in Heaven.
Whatever we have lacked here, we will have in Heaven. Whatever we need to make us happy we will experience there. I am hoping to see all those I have loved in Heaven. Family, friends and so many others that I have prayed for during my life.
And to see my old Pets. There will be Tammy, my childhood dog, our cats Patches and Lucky and Baby and Smokey, and Scooter, our dog that died just a few years ago.
And I hope to eat a lot of lobster. Lots of corn on the cob. Great fried chicken. And tons of chocolate chip cookies, hot fudge sundaes and pecan pies without worrying at all about too much sugar.
Keep in mind that we will have glorified bodies. So we will not have the same needs we have down here. There will be no pain. No sorrow. No fear. Our desires will be different.
Love”s Purest Joys Restored
There is a line from a great hymn, Be Still My Soul, that speaks of “love’s purest joys restored”. I love to think of that. Down here, we are bound to the indwelling sin that plagues us every day. It ruins the best things we know and experience. There is always a taint to the best of moments.
But in Heaven, sin will be removed forever. We will rejoice that the battle is done. God’s purest designs for us can finally be realized. We can know each other and Him without the anger, frustrations, misunderstandings and pain that plagues our relationships down here.
Life here is kind of like going to Disneyworld and catching a glimpse of the “backstage” castle construction that ruins the beautiful fantasy. Even our best memories and nostalgia begin to lose their luster upon repeated examination.
Or it is like when I was a kid at home after New Year’s Day. That was the day my Mom would run the sweeper and clean up all the Christmas stuff. That sweeper sounded like a bagpipe playing a funeral dirge. The wail of it would tell me that the magic of Christmas was gone.
Your “Best Life” Later
But that is the way this world is. Our best times can be wonderful; but they are still only a prelude. We will NOT experience our dream lives down here. But we are not supposed to. Any preacher saying that you must seek to have your “best life now” is a false teacher.
I have spent a great deal of time reading a lot of self-help books about careers. Trying to find fulfilling work. To find the perfect job and the perfect career. I am a sucker for those books. And I have probably looked through most every book in the bookstores and libraries seeking that elusive “fulfillment” in a job.
Our Life is But a Vapor
Maybe you will be fortunate and get a slice of the pie down here. Maybe you will have some or most of your dreams come true. Maybe the sweepstakes people will show up at your door with a giant check and some balloons. Some people may have a lot of money. And they may have most stuff go well for them. OK. But do not put any confidence in those things. They can disappear in a heartbeat. Use what blessings you have for Him right now.
The conditions of this world are constantly changing. Life is a big “maybe” when it comes to what our circumstances will be. Most people are just struggling to survive. And in these very troubling economic times, more and more people are seeing their hopes of retirement slipping away.
HOWEVER . . .
Let Your Imagination Soar!
The BEST is yet to come. Do not give up hope. Nothing of our suffering, pain, loss, or disappointment is ever unnoticed by the Lord. He catches every one of our tears in His bottle. All of our sufferings for Him are precious in His sight.
What we need to be doing is focusing on what the Lord has promised us. To realize that eternal life is real. That Heaven is real. It is not some fantasy. It is the reason we are going through what we are going through. It is why we are getting the gospel out to people. So they can be there too.
If we are to be good soldiers in the battle, we must be willing to suffer hardship for Christ. Even when most of the others around us, even Christians, are basking in the sunshine of plenty.
But what lies ahead for those who will follow the Lord through affliction is beyond imagination. Or to put it another way, Christ is able to do “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us…” (Ephesians 3:20). These are words used when language is no longer capable of expressing how wonderful something is. His power is preparing for us what is beyond our ability to grasp or explain.
Let your imagination soar to consider the wonders of our eternity ahead with Christ!
Eternal Approach 
September 16, 2016 at 4:49 pm
pets, cookies, pecan pie…..I like your choices! Wonderful glorious things in heaven to enjoy….that is, AFTER we get up from being face down before our Lord! 🙂
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September 16, 2016 at 9:59 pm
Thanks, Jennifer. Absolutely. Fellowship and worship with the Lord will be constant in Heaven. Not only at the beginning but all the way through. People don’t seem to deal with the realities of Heaven. I don’t think people think about it too much. But we should. It is more real than our lives down here. I would love to hear how others describe how they believe it will be. What will it look like? What will we do? The scriptures are limited on this but it is great to talk about it anyway.
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September 19, 2016 at 9:24 am
I always imagine walking through beautiful gardens, and hiking through deep green forests and climbing mountains enjoying panoramic views. Feeling the warmth of the sun and cool breeze on my face. Never aching or getting tired. Never feeling sorrow or pain. Just being in the presence of my mighty God,, worshipping in awe at His majesty.
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September 19, 2016 at 8:15 pm
Thanks hikergal, The trails of Heaven must be awesome. Unbelievably tall trees. Beautiful colors. Streams and deep pools to swim in. Nothing to bite or come after you.
Animals that will let you get close without running away. Maybe we can talk to the animals too!
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September 22, 2016 at 4:47 am
I have never really been able to get the distinction between heaven and the “new heavens and new earth” Will heaven be a new physical earth, like this one, only greater and perfect?
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September 22, 2016 at 9:58 pm
Excellent question. Off the top of my scruffy head, I think this is speaking of the physical earth and the entire physical universe being remade. Even the elements will be burned up as II Peter 3:10-12 says. It speaks of them being dissolved. The heavens seem to refer to the outer regions beyond earth. All of that would have been affected by the fall and would extend to the farthest reaches of the physical creation.
But the new heavens and new earth may be similar to the original perfect creation design. It also speaks of the New Jerusalem coming down out of Heaven upon the new earth. All I can think is that it will be amazing. We will have new bodies. But they will be perfect. But they will still be bodies. Incorruptible. So we can still function in a perfect physical realm. I read a book on heaven by Jeffries where he wondered if God will send us each out to explore our own galaxy. Then, come back and show everyone what we found. Then send us back out again on endless adventures. Hope I can finally get a really good camera!
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