What comes to mind when you think about heaven? Do you see a long line of people waiting to pass through the pearly gates? Maybe there’s someone at heaven’s concierge desk checking for ‘reservations’? Or maybe you see fluffy clouds with white-robed people with wings playing harps all day? That’s how cartoons often portray heaven. Do you see literal mansions lining the streets of gold or maybe overlooking the river of life? Maybe you’ve imagined what your mansion might look like, whether it will have an elegant banquet room, an atrium, and beautiful gardens. I’ve known some folks who’d like a shed for their fishing boat and a golf course next door.
Or maybe you think not so much of what you see, but what you feel: love, joy, acceptance, and peace. Maybe you imagine how vibrant and strong your heavenly body will be, not limited by pain, sorrow, addictions, and sorrow.
Maybe you look forward to reuniting with loved ones who’ve left this earth. And what a great reunion that will be! The Sadducees didn’t even believe in the resurrection. But in attempt to trick Jesus, they asked Him what marriage would look like in heaven. Maybe you’ve wondered that same thing. Jesus replied: “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.” At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” (Matthew 22:29-30,32)
We have so many questions about heaven! But the message of Jesus is that more important than guessing at what heaven might be like, our focus is better placed on the power of God. Many of our images of heaven are influenced by our imaginations and earthly desires. But if we “do not know the Scriptures or the power of God,” our speculation is pointless. Heaven is bound to be so very much more than we can imagine in human terms!
Let’s turn our focus on our relationship with God who is now and forever. Let’s focus:
- Less on our worldly possessions and accomplishments and more on deepening our relationship with God right now, today.
- Less on our fears and more on His resurrection power.
- Less on confessed sins that we still dwell on and more on His forgiveness.
- Less on trying to be good and more on His goodness.
- Less on our problems and more on His sustaining and amazing and grace.
- Less on our worries and more on His promises.
- Less on what culture says and more on His constant truth.
- Less on our weakness and more on His strengthening Spirit.
Focusing less on our relationship with the world and more on our relationship with the living God will benefit our life now AND prepare us for an unimaginable life in heaven!
