Heaven

Christians faced with terminal illness or imminent death often feel they’re leaving the party before it’s over. They have to go home early. They’re disappointed, thinking of all they’ll miss when they leave. But the truth is, the real party is underway at home.

Like anything, our imaginations can be used for good or for bad. Randy also writes, “The acid test of using our imaginations is whether doing so brings us back to the present world content and committed to deal positively with our circumstances. It should leave us refreshed and ready to better face the rest of our day.”

I think we underestimate just how much of our lives here is from the hand of God in the first place. The life that we now know and the things we enjoy so much—the parts untainted by sin—we would naturally expect to have carried over, including distinctive personalities.

Randy visited California Baptist University in Riverside, California where he shared at their chapel. He spoke about suffering, Heaven, and the goodness of God, and also about his wife Nanci and her faithfulness through cancer. The date he spoke was actually the one-year anniversary of the day the Alcorn family of 11 gathered around her bed, and Nanci spoke powerfully into their lives. A week later, she went to be with Jesus.

Randy visited Liberty University and spoke to the student body about a theology of suffering. He shared some of his personal experiences of hardship, and also talked about the hope of Heaven and what that means to him now that his beloved wife Nanci is there.

Jesus said, “there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” By putting on his own joyful party, the father of the prodigal son is mirroring the heavenly Father’s joyful party in Heaven over a beloved image bearer entering His family.

Wishful thinking is not the reason why, deep in our hearts, we desire a resurrected life on a resurrected Earth instead of a disembodied existence in a spiritual realm. Rather, we desire it precisely because God intends for us to be raised to new life on the New Earth.

Martin Luther said, “It is pleasing to the dear God whenever thou rejoicest or laughest from the bottom of thy heart.” And who does that more frequently and sincerely than children? Talking to kids about Heaven was the focus of an interview I did with Greg Laurie, senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship, for his radio program about my book Heaven for Kids.