Reckless About Heaven

Many, many popular songs have been written about Heaven but most of them use it only as a metaphor for something dreamy on Earth.

Belinda Carlisle mused about Heaven being a place on Earth, for instance, back in the late 80s. Bryan Adams had done much the same thing a few years earlier and any bobbysoxer will remember that Frank Sinatra sang, “Heaven, I’m in heaven / And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak / And I seem to find the happiness I seek / When we’re out together dancing cheek to cheek.”

People can find their “Heaven on Earth” in some pretty surprising places, mostly because everyone seems to have a different concept of Heaven. For some, it must be lounging lazily on a puffy cloud. Or is it an endless golf course with a tee time always available?  The companionship of 70 virgins, who probably think they’re spending eternity in the other place? 

Frank found it heavenly to dance cheek-to-cheek with his beloved and more than one poet has described fornication, inebriation and all manner of personal or political exaltation as Heaven, but isn’t it possible that we are cheapening or – worse – mythologizing Heaven with this excess of verse?

Heaven is not a place on Earth, although there are certain things that give us a foretaste of eternal reward. Citizenship in Christ’s kingdom, the church (Philippians 3:20). Brotherhood of those with a like, precious faith. (First Peter 5:9-10). Most of all? Worship.

While nothing in God’s word promises an eternity at one’s favorite earthly pastime – surfing, boozing or knitting – the Lord does indicate that Heaven is a place of rest, reward and reverence.

The Hebrew writer encouraged his beleaguered audience that, “the promise of entering his rest still stands” and promised that, “whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his” (Hebrews 4:1, 10). Heaven is a permanent respite from the curse of labor, temptation and disappointment that mars earthly life.

Heaven is indeed an eternal reward. “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven,” Jesus told his disciples (Matthew 5:12). John pleaded with his readers, “Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward” (Second John 8). A mansion in God’s house, streets of gold, gates of pearl – all symbolic of that reward.

Heaven, however, is also described by something that few people find particularly heavenly here on Earth. Heaven’s soundtrack and schedule are defined by praise for God. “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” (Revelation 22:3). 

Not exactly dancing cheek-to-cheek with the Chairman of the Board, but anyone who values rest, reward and reverence can truly hope for Heaven.