What if heaven is not what we think it…
At some point as believers we have all dreamed of what heaven might look like. The image I have is filled with no pain, no worries, and all the things I have always wanted. It has all the rewards that we have earned through our hardships while on earth and all the people I have lost during my life. All of this sounds nice and quite possible but the truth of the matter is that no one truly knows what heaven will be like until we are standing at the gates with Saint Peter.
The book of Revelations is filled with many clues but it doesn't give us definitive answers. Many other verses in the Bible also give us some hints but even it falls short of giving us the full story. Below are a few of those verses that I would like to take a look at.
First let’s look at Revelations 21:4 that says, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” In this verse we learn that all will be made new and pain will not exist. The pain and suffering from our lives on earth will be no more, this includes any sickness we might face in our lifetime.
Second John 14:2 tells us, “In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” Jesus told this to his apostles and the message is also intended for us. Heaven has endless space and rooms so that everyone may have a place. God does not intend to keep anyone out of heaven but it is fully our choice if we accept his invitation to eternal.
Finally in Luke 23:43 we hear Jesus proclaim to the sinner hanging on the cross next to Him, “ And he said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.’ ” Heaven is paradise but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be complete what we have dreamed it to be.
If heaven wasn’t what we thought it was, would it change the way you believe? Would you be less likely to follow the Lord if you didn’t think you would receive all of your dreams in heaven. Well, I am not an expert on what heaven might be but I do believe that if we are only following God for what we will receive in heaven we have it all wrong. Jesus didn’t die just to make our path to heaven, He died so that we may have an eternal relationship with Him.