I think for the most part we have failed to understand God’s ultimate intentions for us. We can best illustrate this by examining what I would refer to as the common view of heaven.
In heaven, I’ll have this great condo. Better than anything on earth. I’ll be able to plant flowers and mow the yard if I’m into that kind of thing, and if I’m not, I’m sure that will be some kind of a service that will take care of it for me. Once I arrive and settle into my condo, I’ll want to scope out the neighborhood. I imagine that the place will look like one big park with lost of green and open spaces. But there should also be some structures that will allow me to do the things I like to do. A lot of you guys will be thinking about golf courses and lakes filled with very large and very hungry fish. As for me, I will want to know where the bike paths and the libraries are located. (When I walk into a Barnes and Nobles I always think that there is no way we won’t have these in heaven.)
The common view of heave will be something like an endless vacation at the best resort in the universe. We’ll spend all of our time joyfully, and of course, a couple of times a week, we’ll go visit God. We’ll probably worship Him in some kind of temple.
Wrong, wrong, wrong. The presence of God is heaven. Take a tablet and write “the presence of God is heaven” at the top. Then repeat the phrase 100 times. Make little hash marks on the tablet to track your progress. The presence of God is heaven. The presence of God is heaven. The presence of God is heaven.
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.
Ps. 16:11 NASB
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