Heaven on Earth?

We all long for it. We all look forward to it. Most of us plan on being a part of it.

But is there anything we can do to make it happen now?

To be more blunt, when we pray “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” do we really mean it?

My pastor had been teaching us about heaven for several weeks. One of the things that I learned—and that I’d never really considered before—is that in many ways life in eternal heaven will be like it is now. We will work, but without distress. We will be in whole, intimate relationships with people, and we will worship perfectly.

N. T. Wright commented, "The great multitude in Revelation which no man can number aren't playing cricket. They are worshipping. sounds boring? If so, it shows how impoverished our idea of worship has become."

Back to this world... take a minute to imagine a life lived according to Romans 12:1 worship where you “offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.”

I’m learning heaven will be the fulfillment of that verse. Because of God’s mercy, those whom Christ knows will offer our whole self (body, mind, spirit) as 24/7 sacrifices. We really will be holy. We really will be pleasing to God. And our whole lives will be worship.

Of course we’ll gather for worship too, joining the eternal song of the angels. 

Can you fathom it? After a period of time working with people we love deeply, and with whom there is absolutely no impedance to those relationships, we will gather around the Lamb of God—in His perfect, personal presence—and without boundary between us and Him, we’ll sing, knowing for the first time how deeply true these words are:

Holy, Holy, Holy

Lord God, Almighty

So what can we do now to make our temporary home more like our eternal one?

Integrate faith and life.

Completely.

Worried about work? Live out your Master’s teaching in the workplace.

Kids driving you crazy? Apply the teachings of Jesus about following Him.

Afraid of what the doctor will say? Be filled with the love of Christ; it casts out fear.

Internal insecurities? Relentlessly pursue an understanding of what it means to be God’s masterpiece, made in His image.

Scared at school? Live like you are on the winning side. You are.

Home. School. Work. Health. Eternity. 

Integrate your faith into them all. 

After all, we might as well be as heavenly oriented as we can. It is only a matter of time.