“Sue, you won’t believe this place!” were words I dreamed I heard from my friend Betty. She lost her fight for life after a brief illness and is joyfully home with our Lord. Her cheerful voice made me long to be in Heaven too.

God created everything with eternity in mind. Even though our earthly bodies will die someday, death will not hold us any more than it held Jesus. We will rise from our graves with glorified bodies to be with him in Heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

Imagine God walking in the cool of the day as he did in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:8). Think what life would be like without sin, death, or suffering (Revelation 21:4). Visualize the New Jerusalem with jeweled walls and streets of gold (21:15-21). The tree of life will bear 12 different kinds of fruit—one for every month of the year. It will stand by the river of life that flows from the throne of God (22:2). Before Jesus returned to his heavenly home he said, “I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me” (John 14:2, 3).

Heaven is a real place with real people.

“I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands” (Revelation 7:9).

“The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean” (19:14).

“To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life which is in the paradise of God” (2:7).

“There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10).

Jesus said, “I am making all things new” (Revelation 21:5, New American Standard Version). He didn’t say he was making all new things. The Bible is filled with stories of his forgiveness and restoration. In my life he brought renewal when he replaced feelings of loneliness and failure with his love and purpose.

Will we see animals in Heaven? Animal life was part of God’s original intent in creation and he preserved it through the flood during Noah’s time. A golden age is coming when we will live in harmony with all creation. “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them” (Isaiah 11:6, New International Version).

The gates of Heaven are opened wide for those who believe, who let God love them, and who learn to love and trust him. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John. 14:6) and “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (11:25, 26).

In his popular book Heaven (Tyndale House, 2004), Randy Alcorn discusses an interesting concept—that human creativity and technological advancement will not be lost in Heaven. He says, “The God who gave people creativity surely won’t take it back, will he? . . . . Something in the human constitution loves to create, tweak, experiment, and play with machinery. This isn’t a modern development; it was true of ancient people as well. It’s inherent in exercising dominion over creation.”

The decisions we make and the things we do on earth matter for eternity. The Bible describes the New Jerusalem, a city as high and wide as it is long (from San Francisco to Chicago—cubed). A city of this size requires workers: people with real skill, ability, and creativity. It requires engineering, technology, and administration. The work we do on earth could be preparing us for what we will do in Heaven. Some of us, including me, may not look forward to an eternity in our current vocations. Maybe Heaven will have no need of certain businesses or maybe God is teaching us something in the process that he can use in his kingdom. Whatever Heaven holds, I believe we will find pleasure in the work he has for us to do, just as we enjoy using our spiritual gifts today.

How can we be ready when Jesus comes? Three parables in Matthew 25 teach us how we can be watchful, faithful, and merciful. The five wise virgins were ready when the bridegroom came at midnight, but the foolish ones were left outside. We don’t know the hour of Christ’s return but we can be ready for the trumpet sound by trusting God and being watchful.

Two out of three tenants heard the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” These are words I want to hear when I come into God’s presence. Yet I am often overwhelmed with my projects and experience frustration with priorities. My friend Dianne asked me one question that clarified things for me. She said, “If you knew Jesus was coming next year, which project would you want to lay at his feet?” Without hesitation I knew the answer.

When Jesus comes again with his angels, he will separate people as a shepherd separates sheep from goats. He will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me” (Matthew 25:34-36).

They didn’t know they had ministered to their Lord; but out of their love for God, they loved and served others. He will say to them, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). Because those on his left had no mercy, he will say to them, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41).

The end of all things as we know it is near, so “Set your minds on things above” (Colossians 3:2). Let us pray for sound, clear minds. Let us love each other deeply. Let us offer hospitality to each other without complaint and let us use whatever spiritual gifts we have to serve each other faithfully (1 Peter 4:7-10). Let’s keep longing for our Lord’s appearing. He is making all things new and we have a lot of work to do. |L