The Experience Of Heaven

“That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” – 1 Corinthians 2:9.  

In the opening chapter of Huckleberry Finn, Huckleberry talks about the perils of living with his guardian, Miss Watson. He tells us: Miss Watson would say, “Don’t put your feet up there, Huckleberry;” and “Don’t scrunch up like that, Huckleberry – set up straight.” “Why don’t you try to behave?” Then she told me all about the bad place, and I said I wished I was there. She got mad then, but I didn’t mean no harm. She said it was wicked to say what I said; said she wouldn’t say it for the whole world; she was going to live so as to go to the good place. She went on and told me all about the good place. She said all a body would have to do there was to go around all day long with a harp and sing, forever and ever. So I didn’t think much of it. But I never said so. I asked her if she reckoned Tom Sawyer would go there, and she said not by a considerable sight. I was glad about that, because I wanted him and me to be together.

Poor Huckleberry didn’t really understand about Heaven or hell, and dear Miss Watson wasn’t helping any. Even today there are a lot of misconceptions about Heaven out there. Some people we will be angels sitting on a cloud playing harps. Others think Heaven will be like a long, boring church service. But Heaven will be far from boring. It will be full of action and activity. Heaven is not just eternal life. It is eternal living. Think of your very best days here on earth, the ones you wish could go on and on forever. Heaven will be like that multiplied exponentially. You will live and breathe and worship and work and fellowship and enjoy all the good things of God’s new Heaven and new earth in your new resurrected body which will be specially designed to take advantage of all that the new Heaven and earth has to offer. 

Don’t forget, however, that one of the most important things the Bible tells us about Heaven is that it is far greater and more wonderful than anything we can possibly imagine. Don’t make the mistake either of thinking Heaven is boring. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Bible says God will have work for us to do—although we won’t grow bored or weary like we do in this life. It tells us that we will “stand in front of God’s throne and serve him day and night in his Temple…” (Revelation 7:15).

The greatest truth about Heaven, however, is that we will be with God and with Jesus forever. What experience can be better than that?  

Discussion Questions: 

1. What do you think the experience of Heaven will be like?  
2. What can we do this week to prepare ourselves for eternity while we are on earth?