Imagine Heaven.
It is a quiet morning as I sit in my usual spot and write this post. The morning sun is shining through the window, a couple of birds are chirping just outside, and a wind chime delicately plays a tune in the distance. It is in this quiet and serene moment that I pause to imagine Heaven.
What sights, sounds, smells, touches, and feelings must continually captivate the senses of those who are there!
More specifically this morning, I think, “I wonder what Carrie is doing right now?” I contemplate what she is seeing, who she is with, and who she has met. I wonder if she thinks about us. So many thoughts regularly run through my mind on what her life is like today.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:13, the Apostle Paul gives encouragement concerning our loved ones who have died knowing Christ, so that we who are left do not have to “sorrow as those who have no hope”. I’m glad I have hope! I miss Carrie terribly, but I know I will see her again and, until then, she is doing just fine!
So here are some imaginations on what her life is like today:
Life 2.0 - I know she feels more alive today than she ever did on this earth. All her senses are heightened as she enjoys everything the Lord has created. Her sense of smell is no longer dulled by allergies, her eyesight is crystal clear and no longer in need of contacts, there is no more tingling in her arm from nerve damage, and most of all, there is not one ounce of pain from that devastating disease she battled for so long!
Inexpressible joy! Because my wife is there, I have spent a good amount of time recently reading the stories of people with near death experiences (NDEs). By far, the most common feeling NDE survivors report is that of overwhelming joy and peace! Don Piper, a Pastor who had his own NDE after a car crash, said, “Never even in my happiest moments have I ever felt so fully alive!”
Unimaginable beauty! The last big trip me and Carrie got to take was an Alaskan cruise for our 24th anniversary. The scenery was breathtaking: vast mountains, a massive glacier, lots of wildlife, and even a rainforest – some of the most beautiful sites we have ever seen. And yet the Bible says, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Cor. 2:9) Therefore, the most beautiful thing we have ever seen or experienced on this earth is a mere shadow of what she is experiencing right now.
Time flies! We’ve heard this all our lives, “Time flies when you’re having fun!” No doubt this is exponentially true in Heaven. In 2 Peter 3:8 the Apostle writes, “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.” This means that one day with the Lord in eternity is 1000 years on earth. So, consider this, if we divide 1000 years by a single 24-hour day, that equals around 41 ½ years! So does Carrie, or your loved one, miss us? Hardly. They will not have a chance to because what only seems like one hour to them is actually 41 ½ years on this earth. Talk about time flying!
Reunions. Finally, as I imagine Heaven, I imagine the wonderful reunions that await us with family and friends. It will be fun to meet people from the Bible, or other historical figures who trusted in the Lord. But honestly, apart from the Lord Himself, I’m most looking forward to the reunion with Carrie and with my Papa. I have a lot of catching up to do with both, and I know they will be there together the day I arrive. Though she never knew him, Carrie loved my Papa (our son John is named after him) and it brings comfort to my heart that they have now met and are awaiting a reunion with the rest of the family.
Those are my thoughts as I imagine Heaven…how about you?
What are some things you imagine about Heaven?
After the Lord Jesus, who are you most excited to see?
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