Ecclesiastes 12: 7 NKJV
I heard a pastor speak of the near death experience of a boy who passed away and believed that he woke up in his bedroom at home. He spoke nothing of heaven or visions of Jesus, but simply awaking in his own bedroom at home. Of course, this got me thinking to what it is that we actually see as heaven in our own minds. Are we immediately transported to heaven after we leave this earth? Or, as some Christians believe, are we to spend time in sort of a holding pattern until that day comes where God releases us into His glory? We desire to know all about this part of our life, but it is indeed difficult because there is only one who has defeated death and lived, the man Christ Jesus {Romans 6:9}. Many of us know the pain of loss of losing friend and loved ones. We all wish for their passing to be into the kingdom of heaven as God has promised to those who believe. Or did He? It is also written that nobody has ascended into heaven except Jesus {John 3:13}. So, if we do not immediately ascend into eternity with the Lord, and we do not go to heaven, what is it that we can look forward to? Well, first off, we are already one with the Lord. The apostle Paul assures us of this in Galatians when he speaks to Jesus living in him {Galatians 2:20}. Second, since we really have never had a physical reference of entering into heaven itself, we will naturally be curious as to where it is. Is heaven...in the heavens? Or, in a radical change of thought, somewhere else entirely? We know that Jesus came to prepare a place for us when our time here is done {John 14:2}. We can agree that, as believers, when our time does arrive, that we will be in the presence of the Lord outside of this world we now live in. It is my belief that somewhere close to the dimension in which we live, is that reality into which those who have gone before us have passed into. More than a few scientists have spoken to the fact that there are six more dimensions beyond those which we ourselves can comprehend. The current dimension we exist in is one of space time continuum containing three of the dimensions. these dimensions which we experience are height, width and depth. It is my belief that what we know as heaven, is simply another dimension beyond our own. As I said, it is quite a radical departure from the heaven we have been taught. However, it is also comforting to know that our loved ones who have gone before us are closer to us than we ever knew.
We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord
2 Corinthians 5: 8 NKJV
If we take to heart the words of Paul that we are now one with Christ Jesus, how is it that we cannot also believe that we are now in the Lords presence? Isn't that one of the hallmarks of what we have been told to expect of heaven, that we would be forever in the Lords presence? I still believe this to be true, as it is written to us in the word. However, I believe that we got a bit lost along the way in our search for the roadmap to heaven. We desire to know all that there is so that we can perhaps be better prepared once we arrive. To that I would say, don't worry about it. The key thought which we need to keep in mind is that the worries and cares of this world will no longer concern us. In fact, we will carry nothing of this world we live in with us when we leave. That, more than anything should give us cause to rejoice. Paul summed it up when he claimed that, for him, to die is gain {Philippians 1:21}. I believe that we spend far too much time worrying over the roadmap to heaven and far less time seeing how wonderful it truly is. For there is but one true roadmap to heaven, and that is Christ Jesus. It is Jesus who spoke of being the way to the Father and to heaven {John14:6}. If we are hell bent upon looking for a way to get into heaven, all we really need is Jesus. It is through Jesus by which all will come to the Father. How do I see heaven? I see heaven as that place where the worries and concerns of this world no longer plague me. I see heaven as that place where I finally reunited with those loved ones who have gone before me. Above all, I see heaven not as a place, but as knowing that I am finally home.
But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him."
1 Corinthians 2: 9 NKJV
~Scott~
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