I am not so sure that God ever gets frustrated although the Bible does speak about God getting angry when his chosen people, Israel, messed up although this is more than balanced by passages that speak of God’s patience, mercy, and compassion (e.g. Jonah 4:1-3, just to mention one of many). But I wonder how the angels handle their possible frustration with those of us who fail to appreciate what a glorious future we humans have if we would just get with it. This is because we often get so bogged down with mundane concerns, marketplace competition, family squabbles, or just worrying about our well being in a very unstable world. Even as Christians, we sure know how to fret and let our fears get the best of us; but in so doing we forget who we are, to Whom we belong, and where we are heading. In short we tend to lose perspective.
This piece is about heaven. I think that every so often, we ought to read about heaven, meditate on it and let our future in Christ inform and define our present rather than being hopelessly locked into our present. So then, (1) who are we or put another way, why were we created, (2) how do we relate to the Creator, and (3) what is our future going to be like if we choose to spend it with our Creator? Let’s look at the first question. We were created for God’s glory and we will not be permanently happy unless we glorify God and enjoy him forever. You might recognize this from the Westminster Larger Catechism. Why would God make us to suit his own purposes? Isn’t that kind of selfish of him? When one of the Herods encouraged a crowd to give him glory, we are told by Luke in Acts 12:23 that he was “zapped” by an angel. So then why should God “demand” glory? Anyone who asks that betrays his lack of knowledge or appreciation regarding who God is and how infinitely good and wonderful he is. To live for God and enjoy him forever is his gift to us. He made us capable of appreciating his splendor, his greatness and his love. This should give us great joy and gratitude for how wonderfully we are made and how marvelous God’s works are (Psalm 139:14).
Then in answer to question 2 above, God has invited us into His family and inner circle of relationships through Jesus Christ. Unlike any other being in the universe including powerful angels, we are created in God’s Image which makes us like Him (though not identical to Him) and within the Divine Trinity there abides a man, a human being, our representative, our Elder Brother, Jesus Christ, (Hebrews 2:11-18), who is very God and very man, to quote the ancient creed. That should give “goose bumps” to anyone who believes that. The true believer cannot help but shout “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things and by your will they were created and have their being (Rev. 4:11).” It is truly amazing what dignity God gives us.
Finally, God has gone through a lot of “trouble” to restore in us His Image that was badly tainted by the fall. After Adam and Eve blew it, the Lord promised that he would send a Saviour to restore his image in us and return Paradise to us. That is the meaning of Genesis 3:15. In time, Jesus the Saviour did come and restoration has begun here in the old order of things so badly tainted by sin. Restoration is completed when Jesus returns to establish a new order of things including a brand new creation (See Romans 8:18f). We are destined to be in intimate union with the Godhead (John 17:20-27) throughout eternity in a real place (see John 14:1-3) called heaven or the new Paradise, if you please (see Rev. 22:1-5 and compare with Gen. 2:8-14). The old order of things will be swept away with a “big bang” (see 2 Peter 3:10) and we will participate in God’s rule over a brand new universe (Rev. 22:5). No wonder Paul could say that “our present sufferings are but a light affliction compared with the glory that will be revealed in us (Romans 8:18 KJV).” I just can’t wait! How about you?
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