What is Heaven Like in My Mind?

                                                              (Imagination)

For at least two thousand years people have tried to picture Heaven- the next life after this one. The final book of the Bible has the most vivid images anywhere found that I recall. Some take it literally and accurate according to our capacity to picture it as a most beautiful place. I suppose my thinking has evolved beyond those images although not eliminating any of those pictures. I want to share some of the details that have come to me in the past years from various experiences and suggestions.

We used to think of Heaven as somewhere up there far away from earth. Some years ago I learned that Gerald Derstine, whom we have met only a few times, believed that heaven will be right here on earth.  The Book of Revelation does talk of heaven coming down, apparently to where we are, although there would be a new Heaven and a new earth. So maybe it would be right here.

But how much of the here would continue or resemble the new Earth/Heaven?  Some years ago as I was walking through our orange farm in Belize on a Sunday morning in an atmosphere of worship, I suddenly exclaimed, “God are you enjoying this as much as I am?”  I went back home and after that, sooner or later, made a map of every tree on the farm, as much as possible, and entitled it, “Our Garden of God.” God made the earth as he wanted it to be, the way he enjoyed it, and the way his image in man would appreciate it as much as he could comprehend it. I have often been enthralled by the wild flowers in natures, in hidden places where no man would ever see them. God must have planted them for his own bountiful enjoyment. So if this is what he wanted man to enjoy even as he does, why would not Heaven be in the pattern of nature as we appreciate it?

Certainly there would be differences. There would not be heat or cold that would make us uncomfortable.  Either we or temperatures would come together comfortably. Our bodies might change, or the weather might! There are also matters of time and space that will be different. Time is a measurement of duration for man's sake so he can tell when things are happening as life here has limited duration. In eternity, time will not be a factor. As God is the light and there will be no need for the sun, according to Scripture, there will be no day or night- just the perpetual light of God's presence- everywhere. Somehow, space also will no longer be a barrier to fellowship either. We will not be limited in traveling ability, but as spirits,  we will crisscross distance without reference to space limitations of gravity or inertia. There will also be eternity to meet all the people we knew here and so there will be no longing to meet anyone without being able to access them any time as time will be no more.

On the question of Heaven being on earth. I suppose it is also more plausible with my experience in Belize where we were closer to nature unspoiled. And now back here in Indiana, having the fortunate experience of enjoying our own little Garden of God where we live. It just seems that nature altered a bit would be heaven.  There is also our retirement which enlightens our view of heaven. All our needs are supplied without necessitating work. We tend the land as no doubt Adam was to do in the original Garden of God. Just “tending it” so we. It is activity but not work. It is at our leisure, not of our necessity. It is to make this Garden more as we like it, a right God has entrusted to us in making us co-maintainer of his earth. So Heaven will also find us moving about in joyful activity in a glorious Nature environment.

Certainly Heaven is more than I picture above. At least this maybe the beginning as Heaven may be. It would be absurd to assume any close picture of all God has prepared for us. What about the restoration of all our personalities that will be renewed and healed , enabling us to relate in joyous harmony? What about the full knowledge and experience of God's love? What of knowing those of the rest of God's creation in other worlds? There will be so much more than we can imagine in the best of our dreams.