Good Morning Friends,
“Jesus replied, ‘People of this age marry and
are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in
that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given
in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are
God's children, since they are children of the resurrection.’” (Luke 20:34-36)
The life we live in eternity will be different
in many ways from our life in this age. Jesus mentions a couple of those
differences.
There won’t be any marriage. That seems strange
because marriage is such an integral part to life here. Having a partner in
life makes life more enjoyable and satisfying. How can life in eternity be
satisfying without the kind of partner that marriage brings? Perhaps that is
the point. A professor I had in college used to tell us that it wasn’t that his
relationship with his wife would be worse and less close in heaven than it was
on earth, but that the relationships he enjoyed with the multitudes in heaven
would rise to a new level of closeness. Perhaps the best of marriage is only a
glimpse of the kind of close relationship we’ll have with everyone in eternity.
We really don’t know what the relationships in
heaven will be like, but can rest assured that the best of earth is only a
small glimpse of eternity.
One more difference that Jesus mentioned –
there will be no death in eternity. I know of nothing that casts a darker
shadow on life here than death. The prospect of our own approaching death
brings anxiety to most and fear to many. The deaths of those we love, even when
they are expected and come at the end of a long life, still bring deep grief.
The unexpected deaths of those whose lives are cut short rip at the very fabric
of our emotions.
What a joy to consider a place and a time where
the shadow of death will no longer hang over us – that’s eternity – that’s
heaven.
His, by Grace, Steve
No comments:
Post a Comment