Heaven's Meanderings

I have been wondering lately.

Quite a lot.

Wondering if people, Christian or not, think about heaven.

And if they do, really, what they think about it.

Do they accept the culture's definition of what heaven will be like?

Or do they go to God's word to learn what He tells us it will be?

Do they get past the cliches?

"It's a better place."  It is.  But how?

"We'll be together again one day -- in heaven."  Maybe.  But not everyone will be there.

"Absent from the body is present with the Lord."  

"He/she is done suffering."

Do they think about what it will be like?

Do they think what it will be to be in the actual, physical, presence of the Lord?

Do they wonder what they will look like?  Act like?  

Do they wonder what they will do?

Do they wonder if they will recognize others?

Or do they accept the 'pat' answers?

"She/he is in heaven now."

"She is an angel now, looking over us."  (um, people don't become angels when they die, just fyi)

The most precious note was included in our church's prayer note this week.  

From a little girl.  Savannah.

Who is thinking about heaven.

“I wish I could talk to God, like hear him talk to me.  I think you talk about that.  It is a very interesting thing.  Do you ever wonder what he sounds like or wonder what he looks like?  You should talk about that.”

Why, yes Savannah, I do wonder.

And one day, I will hear Him talk to me, and I will know what His voice sounds like.  I will see Him as He is, and I will know what He looks like.

One day, there will be a new heaven and a new earth, and I will live there forever.  With Him.

Only recently have I started past the cliches.  The 'pat' answers.

It took staring in the face of the fear of death to get me to consider heaven more seriously.  And I've only just begun.

I wonder.

Quite a lot.