WATCHWORD:
“Therefore they are before the throne of God,
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;
the sun shall not strike them,
nor any scorching heat.
For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Revelation 7:15-17
“In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11
“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” Philippians 3:20-21
Meditation:
Previews of Coming Attractions
Picture this: A 1,000-piece jig saw puzzle, all spread out on the table, each piece separated from the others. You pick up one piece and look carefully at it, at the colors, the shape, and you try to image how does it fit into the picture on the box. Where does it belong?
Picture this: You are captivated by the scene, right there before you. A young mother and her daughter wrapped up in a moment of love, and that same moment brings tears of joy and remembrance to your eyes, and you feel a warmth in your soul.
Picture this: It’s snowing! A blizzard, and you can barely see the houses across the way. You are mesmerized but how the snow is transforming what had been a bleak neighborhood into something of momentary beauty. And you marvel how that can happen?
Picture this: A bluebird, bright in color, has chosen to perch right there, on a branch just outside your rehab-center window, and for long moments the pain of your recovery is forgotten in the beauty of that creature. An unspoken message from our Lord: You are loved.
Have you ever wondered what heaven will be like? Maybe God is showing it to us, one puzzle piece at a time. A little glimpse, maybe a single bloom, or a whole field of flowers. The smell of fresh-cut grass on a light breeze one spring morning. A sunset over Lake Michigan. Heaven, one tiny preview at a time.
God has gifted us with eyes, but do we see what our Creator God has prepared for us? Can we appreciate these glimpses that come our way each day, every day? A tiny piece of heaven that He wants to show us and it brings Him joy when we are thrilled, overwhelmed with goodness, and we pass it on.
What do you think Heaven will be like? We hear a lot about golden streets, and our role of praising Him, while strumming our harps. But I rather think of Heaven along the lines of how Randy Alcorn describes it in his book Deadline. In the Alcorn Heaven, each day is a new day, fresh and filled with anticipation. So much to learn, with joy so intense as to make the joy we experience here, overshadowed. All those loved ones that had gone on ahead will be there, active and healthy, and generating love to all.
Heaven, eternal life, the afterlife, whatever you wish to call it, will far exceed anything we simple mortals can imagine. But the glimpses are here, the previews before our very eyes. We need only to truly see with eyes that are blessed, to hear with ears that are tuned into the whispered voice of God, in nature, and to truly taste the blessings of the Holy Spirit. And the heart-beat of Heaven repeats over and over again: You are loved, you are loved, you are loved… Amen
Closing Prayer:
Open my eyes, that I may see. Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key. That shall unclasp and set me free.
Open my ears, that I may hear. Voices of truth Thou sendest clear;
And while the wave notes fall on my ear, Everything false will disappear.
Open my mind, that I may read. More of Thy love in word and deed;
What shall I fear while yet Thou dost lead? Only for light from Thee I plead.
Silently now I wait for Thee, Ready my God, Thy will to see,
Open my mind, illumine me, Spirit divine! Amen.
