Last week the ministry team was getting ready for our weekend services. I took a few moments to describe a new sermon series about heaven that I was starting. After giving them some details, one of them said,
“I hope we get to wear cool clothes in heaven!”
We all looked at this person like they had just committed heresy. I asked them to explain. The person responded,
“I’m just hoping we don’t have to wear white robes, purple sashes, and Birkenstocks.”
The room erupted in laughter.
While most people want to go to heaven when they die, the way heaven is usually described doesn’t sound too attractive. I heard a preacher the other day on TV say in a browbeating tone,
“Heaven is a place for people who want to worship and serve God! You’re gonna be disappointed up there if that ain’t what you wanna do down here.”
Standing…singing…serving…forever? Heaven in those terms sounds like it’s going to be an eternal church service. And having been in church services all my life, that doesn’t sound too inspiring or fun. In fact, it sounds boring.
But heaven is going to be anything but boring!
Notwithstanding the fact that we will be worshipping God with abandon, heaven should never be put in the context of things we do now. Everything in heaven will be completely different. Everything in heaven will be new. Everything in heaven will be beyond our wildest dreams!
Unfortunately, we have made heaven sound dull. We have made it uninspiring, especially for younger people. But heaven is not the retirement/pension plan for geriatric Christians.
David said,
“He shall give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4)
If that promise were only for this life, then heaven would be anticlimactic. But that’s not the case. Heaven is the fulfillment of everything God intended for us when He created us. Our dreams, hopes, and destiny will be lived-out in heaven forever.
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)
In heaven, we will make discoveries about God that will never end. We will find out how much He loves us and how perfect His plans were for us. We will also discovery infinite levels of people we are connected to in heaven. We’ll meet people who prayed for us, and those who were in our spiritual DNA throughout all generations.
And if those things weren’t enough, Jesus takes up another notch,
“To all who are victorious, who obey me to the very end, to them I will give authority over all the nations. They will rule the nations with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots.” (Revelation 2:26–27, NLT)
Doesn’t sound like a job for someone wearing Birkenstocks.
This is true! Love it