Years ago Art Linkletter hosted a TV show called “House
Party,” and the most popular segment was called “Kids Say the Darndest Things.”
In this part of his show, Linkletter would ask little kids simple questions,
such as “What is the first thing you would do if you were President?” or “When
the four-alarm bell rings, what is the first thing a fireman does?” or “How
does your daddy help your mom around the house?” And then he would wait for
their candid, always touching, and sometimes hilarious responses.
Any of us that have had children, and grandchildren, if
you’re lucky, know they also like to ask questions. A father said
his young daughter asked him this: “Dada, what type of underwear will we wear
when we go to heaven?” Now, isn’t that a question you’ve wondered about yourself?
Okay, maybe you haven’t been all that concerned over whether
we’ll wear Fruit of the Looms or Hanes, boxers or briefs. But don’t you
sometimes pause to consider, if there really is a life after this one – and I’m
convinced there is – what it will be like?
The theatrical film, “Heaven Is For Real,” has just been
released. I haven’t seen it yet, but did read the book by Todd Burpo it’s based
on, and if nothing else, it’s provocative. Numerous other books on the same
theme have been written, from 90 Minutes
in Heaven by Don Piper, a minister, to
Proof of Heaven by Eben Alexander, a neurosurgeon. While not offering
empirical proof, these books drawn from personal experiences are intriguing.
What's heaven going to be like? We can only imagine. |
We’ve all seen artwork of people in heaven reclining on
clouds, and cartoons of angelic-looking folks floating around with harps in
their hands. Those images might be okay for a brief vacation, but for most of
us, if that’s all heaven is about, we’re not sure that would be the way we’d
like to spend eternity.
So can we know what heaven will be like? Frankly, I don’t
think so. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, our ability to understand
eternal, spiritual existence is about as limited as trying to explain to an
unborn child what life will be like after leaving the womb. It’s impossible,
since there’s no frame of reference.
But that doesn’t mean heaven has to be a complete mystery.
The Bible offers a few tidbits, essentially assuring us terrestrials, “You
ain’t seen nothin’ yet!” The apostle Paul was referring to this when he wrote, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has
conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). In other
words, “I’d explain it to you if I could – but I can't.”
Speaking to His followers, Jesus said, “In my Father’s house there are many rooms; if it were not so, I would
have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you…” (John 14:2).
He didn’t elaborate – at least the Scriptures don’t tell us that He did – but
basically He was offering assurances that someplace very special awaited them.
In other words, “Trust Me on this. It’s going to be really cool – much more
than you could ever imagine.”
In the last book of the Bible we read about “a new heaven
and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1), a place where pain, sorrow, death and
anguish are banished forever. Now that is something to look forward to, isn’t
it? “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).
We cling desperately to this earthly life because it’s all
we've known. And I think God wants it to be that way. When it’s our time to go,
He’ll let us know. Until then we’re asked to faithfully live the life He
expects of us and respond to opportunities He sends our way. But this “blessed hope – the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13) should be
something to eagerly anticipate, not fear or dread. The unknown isn’t always a
bad thing.
But what’s it going to be like? What are we going to do?
After all, eternity is a long time, right? Maybe that information hasn’t been
fully revealed because our finite, human minds couldn’t comprehend it anyway.
Kind of like trying to explain Euclidian geometry to a hamster.
Think about it this way: If you book a Caribbean cruise, or
a vacation at some exotic location, you might see a travel brochure or two, and
read a brief description. But nothing can prepare you for everything you’ll
experience once you get there. Heaven’s going to be like that – only much, much
more. Millions of times over. Don’t even try doing the math!
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