I can't read this without thinking of the saying that you can remember the Sadducees don't believe in resurrection because they're sad, you see. (I don't know if it translates in writing. But it always makes me laugh.)
There's all sorts of questions we have about heaven. What will it be like? What will resurrection bodies be like? Will we recognize people? Will ________ be there? Do I really get a harp? Is the country music there the old country music that sounded like country music or the new stuff that's pop music where the lead singer holds a guitar? Do Cincinnati sports teams ever win anything there?
I don't know the answers to these questions. There's no harm in asking them, but when we get hung up on them and spend all our time focusing on heaven and miss the chance to worship God here on earth, we miss the point.
If we believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he came to earth, predicted his own death and resurrection and then rose from the grave three days after his crucifixion and later ascended to heaven, and this same Jesus promises to go ahead of us and prepare a place for us, we have to trust in Christ. Heaven is a good and wondrous place, more marvelous than our hearts and minds can imagine, and it will exceed any expectation you can make about it. In our heavenly worship, we will find every need met and we shall lack for nothing.
In our earthly lives, let us practice for heaven by seeking to meet the needs of the people around and discover, in the process, that we find joy in serving others. In our earthly lives, may our excitement for heaven guide our relationships as we live with joy towards God and others. May our trust in God's heavenly provision help us hold less tightly onto our own resources and teach us to invest in the lives of those around us, teaching them about God's eternal love through our words and deeds.
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