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This Isn’t Heavenby Steve Cox,
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Please forgive me for stating the obvious. Life on this earth isn’t heaven. But what I have been noticing in myself lately is that I often think and live in ways that are contrary to what I know to be true. For instance, many times I know I have already had enough to eat, that it is alright to still feel a bit hungry, and I shouldn’t eat any more. But I eat more anyway. In regards to heaven, I know it certainly doesn’t exist on earth, but when I think about it, I surprise myself with how much I expect this earth to work like heaven, and how much I let it bother me that it doesn’t work like heaven. If you don’t mind, please let me explain a bit further how this works for me, and how this might be affecting you as well. First, we should recognize the truth that we are all made to live in intimate fellowship with our Heavenly Father. We are made by God to live in an existence that operates rightly under His rule. Before the fall, Adam and Eve lived in such a world. Now we live in a world that is not our real home. Deep inside we all sense this truth. The writer of Hebrews tells us we “look forward” to the city whose architect and builder is God, that we are “longing for” a better country. In Romans we are told that all of creation has been “subjected to frustration” and that we who have the Spirit in us “groan inwardly as we wait” for heaven. What I am getting at, is that because we know how things are supposed to be regarding love, joy, justice, obedience, etc., we face a significant amount of frustration as we live in this world. One of the greater challenges we must deal with is recognizing this frustration and dealing with it in right and godly ways. Part of this comes down to expectations. If we subconsciously expect our life on this earth to operate like it will in heaven, then our expectations will most certainly be disappointed. My first reaction to unanticipated disappointment is surprise. We tend to ask, “Why didn’t God do something about this?” Peter counsels us to “not be surprised as the painful trials we are suffering.” (I Peter 4:12) John tells us not to be surprised if this “world hates you.” (I John 3:13) Another reaction I face with the downturns of this world is fear. Many of the people I speak with at work express fear for the future of our country and our world. If this world is all that there is, then there is much to fear. But, Peter encourages us: “do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.” (I Peter 4:12) For this is not our home and we do not serve the God of this world. Basically, whenever I sense my attitudes are turning negative, it has something to do with my expectations and where I am placing my hope. Paul encourages the Corinthians that Jesus’ resurrection should cause us to live this life in light of heaven, not expecting our hope to be fulfilled in this world. “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead.” (I Corinthians 15:19-20) Some of the most hopeful words for me in all of Scripture are John’s account in Revelation. “I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” (Revelation 1:3-5) May we all, by God’s grace willingly accept the death, mourning,
crying and pain that is to come our way in this world, and respond with
hope, love, and joy such that God is glorified through us.
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