Have you ever taken a trip planned by a travel agent? Does your soveneirs include a well worn travel brochure? Once, when we sent for information for a fishing trip to Wisconsin, we received a beautiful brochure with highlights that made you almost taste the fish you would catch. The cabins looked luxurious but rustic, with a beautiful view of the lake from the front porch. Today I thought of what the brochures would look like for our trip to heaven, what would the features be that would make me want to go there. I picture the view from the porch of my mansion! Would it look out on a lake stocked with every kind of fish? Would my dad be waiting for me there? Will the golden streets reflect the colors of the beautiful flowers growing everywhere? Will there be paw prints on the floors of my mansion? Jesus said there will be many mansions for He was going there to prepare them for us.
Romans 8:18 tells us that "what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later". Imagine with me the suffering that takes place here on this imperfect earth and then think of it as NOTHING compared to what will come. Are you there yet in your minds eye? That hopeless disease, that chronic pain, or that impossible situation will mean nothing in light of heaven. Can you imagine? I can't!
Can you even phathom no tears in heaven? The bible says in several places that there will be no tears because they will all be wiped away.
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 21:4
For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Revelation 7 :17
In the back of my bible, one discription of heaven was "a place of perfect happiness and eternal communion with God". As much as I love the idea of perfect happiness and a mansion prepared just for me, I am blown away by the last four words of that discription, "Eternal communion with God"!
I talked with a friend, who was only days from entering that "City" and as she dabbed her eyes, we talked about what she would see in Heaven. We discussed how there would be no tears in heaven only peace and happiness. We wondered if there would be pets in heaven and if we would know out loved ones. Since she had a great since of humor even during this trying time, I asked her to give me a signal with an uplifted hand when she could see glory. We both laughed through tears. The next time I visited her, she talked only in whispers and as I came close to hear her, she whispered in my ear that she had not seen "glory" yet, but she had heard angel's wings fluttering behind her. Within days she entered "eternal communion with God" as she met Jesus there! I know when I get to heaven, I will see Bonnie there. Her body will be whole and her voice will be strong as she tells me about the sites of heaven. But then maybe words will not be able to describe that "eternal communion with God".
