This may be hard to fully comprehend, but happiness, euphoria and ecstasy are not inventions of man, nor are they fully experienced on earth. It was God who created the very greatest of feelings that reside in our souls.
It's natural to wonder whether or not in heaven, these same types of feelings will be fully experienced, or are our earth-feelings simply an exotic teaser, never again to be experienced as intensely in Heaven as they are on earth? Is Heaven going to be a non-stop hymn sing and prayer meeting, or will there be pleasures in heaven that far exceed the very greatest ecstasies of earth?
As we contemplate on our Heavenly Home, C.S. Lewis provides us with an unusual analogy to think about: "Our present outlook might be like that of a small boy who, on being told that the sexual act was the highest bodily pleasure, should immediately ask whether you ate chocolates at the same time. On receiving the answer "no," he might regard absence of chocolates as the chief characteristic of sexuality. In vain would you tell him that the reasons why lovers in their carnal raptures don't bother about chocolates, is that they have something better to think of. The boy knows chocolate: he does not know the positive thing that excludes it. We are in the same position. We know the sexual life; we do not know, except in glimpses, the other thing which, in Heaven, will leave no room for it. Hence where FULLNESS awaits us, we anticipate LESS (my emphasis).
There seems to be very few that display a real longing for “Heaven” at all—except in so far as “Heaven” means [escape], or meeting again our friends who have died. One reason for this difficulty is that we have not been trained: our whole education tends to fix our minds on this world. Another reason is that when the real want for Heaven is present in us, we do not recognize it."
C. S. Lewis further observes: “If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next."
Many live their whole life, eyes myopically fixed on what earth has to offer temporally, never fully understanding how, or even why, to think 'heavenly'. A life and lifestyle so bound by “lusts of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life”, their never able to ‘see’ nor understand all that God has for them in the here and now (Perfect Peace), nor what He has waiting for them in Heaven (rewards). [Note: Journey To More @ www.JourneyToMore.net].
Jesus attempting to simply whet our appetite for our Forever Home said, "NO EYE HAS SEEN, NO EAR HAS HEARD, and NO MIND HAS CONCEIVED, what God has prepared for those who love Him." I Corinthians 2:9.
Think about that for a moment; No matter how exotic and phenomenal your thoughts of what Heaven is and has to offer, what God has prepared for us there, is far, far greater than anything that has EVER entered your mind.
If one primarily strives for the rewards earth has to offer, they will lose much of what God has specifically prepared for them (individually) in Heaven. Yes, all those who believe in Him get Heaven, but many will miss out on all unbelievable rewards God has waiting for that that love, serve, and seek Him with all their hearts while on earth.
CS Lewis puts it this way: "Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither."
Jesus adds: “Seek FIRST God’s Kingdom agenda and His Glory, and ALL these things (His best for us on earth and in Heaven) will be added unto you. Matt. 6:33 LSV.
Blessings,
Lee
www.JourneyToMore.net
#JourneyToMore.
 |
Recent Comments