When we get where we’re going…

Posted on April 20, 2017 by Graeme Wilson in Victory Call

I have a joke for you all today!
There once was a rich man who was near death. He was very grieved because he had worked so hard for his money and wanted to be able to take it with him to heaven. So he began to pray that he might be able to take some of his wealth with him.
An angel heard his plea and appeared to him. “Sorry, but you can’t take your wealth with you.”
The man begged the angel to speak to God to see if He might bend the rules. The man continued to pray that his wealth could follow him.
The angel reappeared and informed the man that God had decided to allow him to take one suitcase with him. Overjoyed, the man gathered his largest suitcase and filled it with pure gold bars and placed it beside his bed.
Soon afterward, he died and showed up at the gates of heaven to greet St. Peter.
St. Peter, seeing the suitcase, said, “Hold on, you can’t bring that in here!”
The man explained to St. Peter that he had permission and asked him to verify his story with the Lord.
Sure enough, St. Peter checked it out, came back and said, “You’re right. You are allowed one carry-on bag, but I’m supposed to check its contents before letting it through.”
St. Peter opened the suitcase to inspect the worldly items that the man found too precious to leave behind and exclaimed, “You brought pavement?”
I read this joke and laughed, but it also really made me think… there’s really no way to wrap our minds around how great heaven will be.
Revelation 22:1-5 says: Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.  No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
1 Corinthians 2:9 states: But, as it is written, What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.
Isn’t that just awesome? And isn’t it cool that what we consider to be the most valuable things in this life – like bars of gold – will be nothing more than the pavement we will walk on when we get to Heaven? That’s how amazing it will be! It will be extraordinary, like nothing we can fathom while we’re here on earth!
I’ve heard people say things along the lines of “I know Heaven will be great… but I hope we still have [insert word here]” or “I will miss… [insert word here].” But if you think about it… you really have to scratch your head and say “How does that make sense at all?” Of course we won’t miss earth, we will be in paradise! We often want to hang on to things that don’t matter, like wealth or status. Or maybe we wish we could hang on to things that might matter here on earth (like relationships, pets, etc.) But when we get to heaven, well, it will all be different.
Think about this as an example: It’s hard for many people to imagine that we won’t be married when we get to heaven, and I know many people who wish they would be. I’ve had conversations with these people. But the reality is… it won’t be something we’re still wishing for when we are in Heaven, because there is no sadness in heaven. Heaven is perfection. And it’s funny, because we know that… but so often people wish for things that won’t even be on our radar when we get to glory. I like to think that when God hears us wish for things like that, He smiles and thinks “… just wait until you see what’s in store.”
Erin Culleny serves as a Marketing Assistant and Staff Writer. She loves encouraging women through her Victory Calls and finds such joy in praying for her sisters in Christ. Her favorite activities include reading her Bible, encouraging others with scripture, buying new dresses, and eating at the Cheesecake Factory… In that order!