Sometimes I want heaven now. No, I don’t mean I want to die and go to heaven. I mean I want heaven in the here and now. What I mean is something along the lines of what Jesus taught us to pray: “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Is this like asking God to make things as right on earth as they are in heaven?
Much in this world is not right. To borrow the title of one of my favorite books, things are: “Not the way it’s supposed to be.” When I say I want heaven now, what I mean is that I want things to be the way they’re supposed to be. Unrealistic? Perhaps. But my relationship with the God of heaven causes me to long for a heaven-like place—to long for righteousness —for things to be right. Yet how should things be for them to be heaven-like? I envision a place characterized by the “no mores” described in the book of Revelation.
“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-4)
If I find myself longing for a world absent death, mourning, crying and pain, then I long for things on earth to be as they are in heaven. I long for “the dwelling of God to be with men.” To long for these realities is to envision something far different from this world. Perhaps one could even say it is to long for unreality in the midst of the harsh realities of life in a world full of death, mourning, crying and pain. But I do long for this. God’s Spirit who lives in me is the cause of my longing for a world filled with the presence of God (Romans 8:18-27) and the absence of the things that His presence removes (Note that God “… will wipe every tear from their eyes”).
There is much to cry about in our world—-much to mourn over. “Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). They are blessed because their comforter is the God who wipes tears away. When tears fill my eyes, I need God to wipe them away. Tears are a universal human language. But imagine a world where there is nothing to cry over. Imagine a world without pain. On earth as it is in heaven! Let it be.
How then do I reconcile my desire for heaven and my life in the present world? Deep inside I think that the answer to this question will unlock the door to living with sanity and hope in a world of death, mourning, crying and pain.
For life to be as close as possible to what it was meant to be, it must be lived in the presence of the one who comforts mourners and wipes tears away. It also must be lived like the one who comforts (II Corinthians 1:3-4). All of this requires that I live by faith not by sight. Many times this world (and my life) is not a pretty sight. What I see often bothers me. Something inside screams against the evil, violence, unfaithfulness—sin of this world.
Yet I must live by faith that the one seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” and then said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true” is the source of life and hope. He is the one who said, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.”
“To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.”
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These words spoke to my heart deeply for I have had the same longings. Your Kingdom Come....Heaven on earth...no more sin.....I catch my breath as I ponder that reality. When daily headlines overwhelm my spirit and I think we've finally bottomed out in the depravity department, I take comfort in knowing His Kingdom will reign forever. Sometimes it reigns in me as I walk in a new level of victory. Other times, I'm slammed by the enemy. But Jesus is coming back. He will sit on the throne of King David in Jerusalem. I take comfort in that. The Kingdom of our Lord, on earth will be PERFECT. I can hardly wait. COme quickly Lord!! Click here to reply to this post
NEW NAMES
Posted On: 01/25/08 09:22:23 PM
Age 64, OH
Just imagine to have no evil desires anymore but only to want to do as the holy Spirit desires. I am eager to see what my new name will be. I am even more eager to find out what the new name of the Lord Jesus is. Just think of it, Jesus has a whole nature that none of us has even seen before.
Revelation 2:17
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.
Revelation 3:12 To him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. --- Lou Click here to reply to this post
Heaven is Soon
Posted On: 01/25/08 03:03:36 PM
Age 20, FL
Beautiful words of inspiration. thank you for being a blessing. And in that context, I remember the words of Jesus-to whom be glory for ever- "I go to prepare a place for you that where I am, there ye may be also."
It's as much Christ's desire to be with us as it is our desire to be with him. Indeed everyday that passes, is one day closer. Blessed be the name of the Lord, for these words are trustworthy and true!!! Click here to reply to this post
I long to be free from this sinful flesh. Don't you ever get sick of yourself? Sometimes, my greatest desire is for Christ Jesus to come and get me. Click here to reply to this post
