IMAGINING HEAVEN
When you gaze into the dark night sky, away from all the city lights, what thoughts come to your mind? Astronomers have concluded that the universe is about 93 billion light years across (in diameter). Beyond that is anyone’s guess. Along with our reasoning brain, our intuition reveals, down to its deepest core, that within and way beyond outer space is God’s creation. It is all GOD’S HOME. My someday home (and yours!) could be out there, too! Considering the trajectory that our environment is taking, this is good news; OR maybe our planet will transform, become new or return to its previous state of perfection For sure, heaven will be something more, something infinite. As faulted as it is right now, I still absolutely love our planet, don’t you? So, I wonder if it is a preview of coming attractions. With all the mind-boggling beauty that nature has to offer AND the mind-blowing capacity of our human brains to invent, it is certainly possible that Foreverly, or somewhere like it, could be waiting for us right now. Foreverly is based on just one idea of a possible heavenly realm. However, I can also envision a sparkling city with magnificent architecture full of kaleidoscopic light. The Bible gives us limited information about heaven. Maybe that’s all we can handle for now. So far, here’s what we know for sure:
#1. WE ARE GOING TO LOVE IT!
#2. IT’S BETTER THAN ANYTHING WE CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE!
Still, it’s fun to think about and discuss what heaven might be like! Here are some questions and verses to help your imagination soar:
Close your eyes and imagine the most fantastic place that there could ever be for YOU. You get to choose all the colors, shapes and materials. Which colors and what kinds of flowers and plants would be there? Would the flowers be gigantic or tiny, or both? Would there be oceans, rivers or streams? Would there be mountains and forests? Remember, the rivers can be chocolate milk instead of water, and the grass can be fuzzy, or feel like velvet. Imagine a land made from everything, and only things, that you like. Maybe your idea of heaven is a city with bright buildings along sparkling diamond streets. There can even be computer games to play while you’re sitting on a cloud! Anything is possible. Can you describe what it might be like in your very own heaven?
John 14:2- “In my Father’s house are many mansions.”
1 Corinthians 2:9- “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”
Hebrews 11:16- “God has a city waiting for them.”
Revelation 21:21-25- “…each of the gates made from a single pearl…and the the main street of the city was pure gold, translucent as glass. nothing dirty or defiled…”
Now that you have imagined an amazing land that is just the way you like it, are there any trees there? Trees are mentioned in the Bible more than any other type of plant. Would people be able to climb the trees in your heaven? What do the branches look like? Is there a special tree like the one in Foreverly? What shape and color are the leaves? What do they feel like when you touch them? What kinds of delicious food would grow on your trees? Does eating food from your special tree give a person some type of superpower? What power would that be?
Genesis 2:9- “The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground – trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden, he placed the tree of life…”
NIV Revelations 22:2- “On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit…The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.”
The Bible mentions animals because they are important beings within God’s creation. In fact, animals were created before people. Later, in the book of Revelations, special horses are described in detail, but these could also be symbolic. Certainly, the creatures in heaven will be just as diverse and wonderful as those on our planet. Do you have a favorite creature that lives on the earth? Maybe a dog or a dolphin? What kinds of animals would live in your imaginary world? Would they be wild or tame? Would some be huge, like dinosaurs, and would some be tiny, like mice? Would you be able to hold the tiny ones in your hand or pet them? Would your animals be friendly? If you could invent any living creature, what would it be, and what would it look like? Could it talk or make sounds? What would you call your imaginary animal? Would you give them each a different name? What are some of the names you would give your special creature? All of our pure and excellent ideas come from God, so whatever you’re thinking, our Creator thought of it first. Maybe you’ll see the creature you’ve imagined someday!
Genesis 1:20,21,24-25- “Then God said, ‘Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind…Let the earth produce every sort of animal, livestock, small animals that scurry along the ground, and wild animals…”
Genesis 2:19-20- “So the Lord God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the human to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one..”
James 3:7 “All animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind.”
The Bible has information about certain beings called angels who live in heaven. They are the ones described most frequently in the Bible, but it’s likely there are other spirits and beings living there, as well, the “righteous ones”. What kind of friends would you have in heaven? Of course, they would probably be a lot like the best parts of you. Maybe you and your friends would be capable of doing more and being more fantastic while living in such an amazing place! Would you have wings to fly, or would you be able to zoom like a laser beam? Would there be any living creatures that are exactly like humans? How might they look different? Would they have any other special powers? What sorts of things would they be able to do, if they could do anything and everything that is fantastic? What would you and others do to have fun? Would anyone be able to grow or shrink, swim like a fish or become invisible? Would they be able to build things like spaceships or adventurous toys and games? Would they draw, sing or play music? Can you describe more about them? I like to imagine that fairies might be there. If you were one of the fairies in Foreverly, what kind of flower would you sleep in?
Genesis 32:1 “As Jacob started on his way again, angels of God came to meet him.”
Matthew 26:53 “Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly?”
Daniel 7:10 “Millions of angels ministered to him: many millions stood to attend him.”
Hebrews 12:22-23 “…countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering…You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven that have now been made perfect.”
Yes, it’s super entertaining to imagine what heaven is like. Meanwhile, as long as we’re here, let’s work together to take care of our beautiful earth and all who are living upon it.