Heaven - Lost in Translation

Pearly gates. Streets of gold. Mansions. St. Peter playing bouncer at the gates. White, fluffy clouds. Chubby cherubs playing harps. These are a few of the images that our minds conjure when we think of heaven. Some are accurate; some are perpetuations of pop culture. But if you're like me, most of these images of heaven make me think - Whoopty-freakin-doo.

Since my brother died a couple of weeks ago, my family and I have comforted ourselves with the fact that Mark is no longer in pain, no longer struggling; he is in a better place. What a blessing to know that he had a relationship with the Lord on this earth and now gets to spend eternity in heaven. However, when I find myself in tears it's over thoughts of how short 36 years is - it is a blink in eternity - and what he's missing here on earth. But why should I care what he's missing on earth if he's in a better place?

Heaven is our hope. Heaven far surpasses what's here on earth. And yet, my brain can't even come up with a comparable image to match the supposed glory of heaven. In fact, my imaginations of heaven are quite bland and dull. Therefore, I'm left grieving for my brother, while in all actuality he's probably in heaven saying, "What are you crying about, Laura? It couldn't get any better than this!" 

I think the problem lies in the fact that our understanding of heaven comes from earthly words and earthly minds. There is no amount of description in earthly words that could convey heaven in such a way that our earthly minds can capture the magnitude of its greatness. In the same way, some people have trouble believing in God because their earthly minds can't understand a being so holy, loving, and gracious. A lot of people are afraid of dying because they can't imagine anything better than this earth, because this earth is all they know. Even in the Bible, the prophets saw things in visions that earthly words couldn't convey what they were seeing. 

But by His Spirit living in us, we can get a taste of heaven, for our spirits know what we are missing in heaven and they long to be there. 

However, as it is written:“What no eye has seen,    what no ear has heard,and what no human mind has conceived”—    the things God has prepared for those who love him—these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:9-10)

Someday I will see the wonders of heaven for myself, but until then I will have to continue to trust that Mark is in a better place. And if he's lucky, there is a McDonalds there like he hoped, since he missed out on eating so much food the last ten years of his life!