Sometimes we think about heaven and our thoughts of the place sound like they are taken right out of "America the beautiful." The place sounds so lovely and ... well ... heavenly.
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
It sounds so wonderful and who wouldn't want to go to a place like this? This song even talks in later verses about cities that aren't stained with tears. Isn't that what we long for? A beautiful place where we can be with out pain and suffering.
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
So when we get to heaven, there will be streets of gold, the crystal sea, no more pain or tears. It is very right to long for these things. God made all things "very good." Our sin shattered that "shalom." God is going to restore creation and make all things new.
All that stuff is great, but wait. Are we not forgetting something. We are falling into the same mistake that Adam and Eve did. They lived in God's "shalom." When temped they decided that it just wasn't enough. They wanted more. They were not satisfied with having "shalom" under God's rule. They wanted to be "like God." Ultimately this was pride. They wanted be lifted up to at least God's level and in going against God's law they really wanted to be god's to themselves, above God.
I would say the most important part of heaven we conveniently forget about and dwell on all the things about heaven that we desire. Jesus, is forgotten or maybe pushed to the side. So many people love to talk about all the things they gain in heaven but fail to realize the only thing that really should matter is the One they forget to long for.
The ironic thing about it is, without Jesus on the throne in the center, none of this other stuff exists. We are told to seek first the Kingdom (Jesus on the throne) and all these other things will be added to us. It could also be said that if we seek first OUR kingdom (mansion), we will gain none of these things.
If heaven has all the first things but no Jesus, would you be just as excited to get there?
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
It sounds so wonderful and who wouldn't want to go to a place like this? This song even talks in later verses about cities that aren't stained with tears. Isn't that what we long for? A beautiful place where we can be with out pain and suffering.
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
So when we get to heaven, there will be streets of gold, the crystal sea, no more pain or tears. It is very right to long for these things. God made all things "very good." Our sin shattered that "shalom." God is going to restore creation and make all things new.
All that stuff is great, but wait. Are we not forgetting something. We are falling into the same mistake that Adam and Eve did. They lived in God's "shalom." When temped they decided that it just wasn't enough. They wanted more. They were not satisfied with having "shalom" under God's rule. They wanted to be "like God." Ultimately this was pride. They wanted be lifted up to at least God's level and in going against God's law they really wanted to be god's to themselves, above God.
I would say the most important part of heaven we conveniently forget about and dwell on all the things about heaven that we desire. Jesus, is forgotten or maybe pushed to the side. So many people love to talk about all the things they gain in heaven but fail to realize the only thing that really should matter is the One they forget to long for.
The ironic thing about it is, without Jesus on the throne in the center, none of this other stuff exists. We are told to seek first the Kingdom (Jesus on the throne) and all these other things will be added to us. It could also be said that if we seek first OUR kingdom (mansion), we will gain none of these things.
If heaven has all the first things but no Jesus, would you be just as excited to get there?
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