Imagine Heaven Pavyzdys

Look ahead to the unseen.
By Rev. Mark Bartsch 

Have you noticed that with each passing day, your body is not as strong as it once was? As time goes by, your strength goes away. If you focus only on yourself, you will see your strength and your abilities diminish and fade.  What is seen is indeed temporary…

Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians is filled with the encouragement to give our weaknesses to the Lord and he will strengthen us. “We are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 

We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.” (2 Corinthians 4: 8-10)   The things of the world may attack us.  Our bodies may weaken, but by faith, we hold on to the suffering, death, and life of Jesus to keep us strong.

People have so many questions about what heaven will be like.  

• “Will there be animals in heaven?”  
• “Will I know my spouse, my children, or my parents?”  
• “What will we do when we get to heaven?”  

The Bible gives us some answers. “There before me was a great multitude that no one could count, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb'. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7: 9, 10, 17)

We look forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. 

Prayer: Dear Lord God, help us to concentrate not on the things of this world, which are quickly fading away.  Help us to instead place our hope for tomorrow in you and in your unfailing love. Direct us to focus on what is unseen because the unseen is eternal. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.