Background — Almost 3 months ago I invited a few friends from across the country (and beyond) to join me in reading Randy Alcorn’s masterful study, HEAVEN and then to engage in some dialogue about what we read and think about it.My responses and those of those from friends can be found in previous posts.
Here is the latest in that conversation from Jim Bingham.
I knew he gave us many things richly to enjoy. 1 Tim 6:17. So I inferred that it pleased Him to please us. As a father myself, I felt joy when I saw my sons' joy at gifts I gave them. And I knew God was a better and more loving father than I am. So at the least it was certain He would give more of the gifts that please us now: fellowship with Christ and with our brothers and sisters in Christ; precious pets; beauty; acts of grace; worship; meaningful and satisfying creative enterprise; anticipation; joy.
The thing that has most impacted my view of Heaven though is that Jesus included Moses and Elijah on the mount of transfiguration! It proved to me that He regards fellowship with people. I was stunned! It's what I want more than streets of gold and gates of pearls. I want to enjoy completely unhurried fellowship with my creator.
I've always visualized it like this: Jesus is sitting with me on a bench on the 1700th floor of the great city. To our right is a magnificent view outdoors. Foliage is all around and the city stretches out below us and to our left. We're having a joyful time and there's no pressing appointment to interrupt our fellowship.
That is my greatest anticipation of Heaven. I never doubted there would be beauty and joy and peace and love and pets and fellowship there because we have them all now. And God never changes!! So instead of taking them away, God will make them better.
But the fellowship is what I most look forward to.
In the book, Alcorn details these same things. In overview, I agree completely with him that God created us to delight fully in Himself. And most certainly heaven will be full of the perfection of what He has shown us here and now as current citizens of His Great Kingdom.
Jim
