Thursday, September 18, 2008
Have you ever wondered, what it will be like when we come into the presence of God in heaven?
Rev 21:3 "...behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them" .
Have you ever wondered, what it will be like to look into the face of Jesus? Us, unworthy, sinful, degenerated, despicable humans, saved only coz God loved us so much that He sent down His only son to die for us...How would we feel then, to look into the face of the one who died for us? Would we be overcome with guilt? Would we be overcome with joy & appreciation unspeakable? How would i react? Would we dance away in delight? Or would we be too stunned for words by the ineffable sight before and around us? Can you imagine, when there will be a time where your life will be full of joy every single milli-second?! Can you imagine a time when we'll be able to worship God "happily ever after"?
When we look back on our lives, lives which should have been a response to His death on the cross for us... would we be able to look in His face and be found faithful? Or would we know in our hearts that we tried, but our try was a pathetic attempt just so that we could say "we tried"? I know that i am guilty of the latter...quite a bit.
Is heaven something we look forward to? Let me re-phrase that; is being in the presence of our God something we look forward to? So often we say that we don't wish to go to hell - for obvious reasons. But would it be true to say that we often say we don't want to go to hell simply because we know that it's bad (duh!) but not more so because heaven is where we can live eternally with God where "there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain" ,where we can worship Him forever? Have we ever wanted to go to heaven because we so desired it? Or do we want to go to heaven just because we know that we don't want to and shouldn't go to Hell?
There are so many incidents in the New Testament, where believers were encouraged and reminded by the authors to look forward to the hope that was lying in wait for them. Do we look forward to this hope of being united with our Father in heaven forever? Or have we taken this hope for granted? Why is it that when the topic of heaven is mentioned...we don't see how great it is? Is heaven to us still that great mystical place hidden in the clouds where lots of angels fly around as our parents used to tell us? Why is it that the prospect of being united with God forever doesn't appeal to us:
like the latest PSP game
like how we want to become the best badminton payer
like how we want to look cool and mature in front of others
like how slacking does
like how music does
like getting good grades and being smart
like getting a girlfriend (and many more...)
I guess maybe heaven has never been that attractive to some of us simply because our lives on this earth might just be too comfortable. Maybe that's why it "appeals" more to those who suffered persecution for Christ's sake. Maybe life on this earth just seems too good for us, to look beyond it?
You know, i used to wonder...how is it that my mentors & elders in church could talk about heaven so joyfully. What was/is it about heaven that caused them to be so grateful & desire for it? Now i know...and i can only imagine...the joy & unspeakable delight (i can't think how to describe the feeling - indescribable should suit for now)...i can only imagine...Thank You God for giving us a hope & a home we can look forward to beyond our lives on this earth. Thank You Lord, for your unchanging, never-ending faithfulness from the beginning to the end.
Rev 21:6b - 8 "I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. He who overcomes will inherit these things, and i will be his God and he will be My son. But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
So let's "jia you"! Let's allow the word of God to dwell richly in us (Col 3:16) and let's be transformed by it (Rom 12:2). Let's not be like the churches of southern Galatia, "Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh", "I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ."
Let's make the effort to work at our struggles and our problems, not so that we can boast, but so that Christ's glory may be displayed through us. Let's keep living our lives for the Lord, for if we lived it for ourselves, it would all be meaningless (work of faith). Let's love each other as one in the body of Christ (labor of love). Let's keep anticipating the hope that has been laid up in store for us (steadfastness of hope)...and till then...we can only imagine in delight:)
I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk
By your side
I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When your face Is before me
I can only imagine
I can only imagine
Surrounded by Your glory,
what will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine
I can only imagine
I can only imagine
When that day comes
And I find myself
Standing in the Son
I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever
Forever worship You
I can only imagine
I can only imagine
Labels: Heaven...I Can Only Imagine
11:32 PM
