In a short discussion about living a long time, our young and joyful youth pastor said, “I’m not interested in being here a long time. I just want to see Jesus.”
One of my friends does want to live a long time. She says she is not anticipating heaven just yet, even though she knows God’s forgiveness and will be there. For her, life is too good here.
I tend to be more interested in heaven when I stop enjoying myself, or my body aches, or challenges get too much for me.
Occasionally someone will use the idea of heavenly rewards to make eternity more appealing. I’ve looked into that but not sure if I’m motivated.
For instance, today’s verses talk about rewards: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. ‘To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God. . . . To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it. . . . And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—He shall rule them with a rod of iron; they shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels—as I also have received from My Father; and I will give him the morning star.’” (Revelation 2:7, 17, 26, NKJV).
I’m not sure what these mean. I already have eternal life, so eating from the tree of life and getting some of that manna seems more of a description of its continuance. I don’t understand the significance of having a new name (even though most of us don’t like the one we have) and power over the nations seems more like a responsibility than a reward.
Some Bible passages talk about crowns, but as near as I can interpret these and others, my greatest reward will involve becoming like Jesus. I will be so identified with Him that everything that is true about Him will also be true about me. He is light, life, the solid rock, and so much more, perfect in every way. Now that is a huge reward!
One of my cousins says that he isn’t interested in any of it. He wants to “go where my friends are” and have a big party. Certainly he is duped. For one thing, being separated from Jesus means not having all that Jesus is—being in darkness, without life, having nothing to stand on, totally flawed, joyless, unforgiven, without peace and separated from all that is good. Doesn’t sound like much of a party to me.
Still, I don’t know what heaven is like, and figuring it out with my finite mind is futile. It is enough to know that Jesus is there—preparing a place for me. When I get there “God will wipe away every tear; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain.” All the tough stuff will disappear and He will make all things new. Even though I’m a live-in-the-present kind of person, when I need a big dose of perseverance, God motivates me by these promises for my future.
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