(Photo by Selma Komisky)

Beyond What We Can Imagine

By Amber Johnson

“Mommy, do you think there are dinosaurs in heaven?”

Deep in thought, my five-year-old was staring out the car window when the question popped into his mind. Conversations on heaven had become a popular topic for our car rides.

“Quite possibly,” I said, “God has made heaven a perfect place that’s beyond what we can imagine.”

“I think there will be water parks!” he exclaimed.

“God may have water parks there.”

“And no one will be sad or die there,” he stated.

“That’s right. There will be no sadness or death. Everyone will be full of joy because we will be with God.”

He then went into great detail about which water slides might be there, who we might see, and how excited he was to go to heaven.

Through the thoughts and questions of a child, God was reminding me- this broken world is not our end destination.

God has prepared a place for those who love Him that’s beyond what we can imagine. It will lack nothing (John 14:2). Our best days on earth will not even compare to what lies ahead.

While heaven is often portrayed as a permanent vacation in our culture, there’s so much more to the actual place that God has specifically prepared for His chosen children.

Did you know we will actually have work in heaven?

Work on earth is often laborious, stressful, and draining, but work in heaven will be the complete opposite. We will not struggle or toil in vain, but our work will be joyous. Our minds will be pure and our plans will be fruitful. Work will be enjoyable at all times because the original curse from the Garden of Eden will be reversed (Rev. 22:3). 

Second-guessing, overthinking, worrying about deadlines or what others think will no longer exist. Questioning whether we’re in the right profession or doing something worthwhile will all be in the past. In heaven, we will be doing exactly what we were designed to do and find great joy in it.

Our brains will function in the way they were originally intended and our bodies will not grow weak. Standing, sitting, and moving our bodies with ease will all be a part of our reward in heaven. How awesome will it be to build, create, design and not grow tired?

There will be no lack or longing for things we do not have; there will be no anger or malice, sadness or grief (Rev. 21:4). Our relationships will be whole and healthy. We will be able to receive and give love easily to those around us because we will be with God, who is love. All the brokenness in the world that put a wedge in relationships will no longer exist. We will know how to love one another perfectly in the way Christ showed us on earth.

Through a relationship with Jesus Christ, we have a hope that is not placed in this world. Our citizenship, our rightful home, is with God in heaven (Philippians 3:20). We need this reminder daily!

While we are here on earth, we are engaged in a struggle. The forces of evil are against us, the world is against us, and our sinful nature rebels against God. The Holy Spirit provides us with the power and the means to be equipped for the daily battles in this world (Eph. 6:10-18). With each step of this struggle, we are dying to our ourselves- becoming more mature, holy, and pure like Christ.

Jesus Christ is the one who overcame the ultimate battle on the cross by saving us from judgement and punishment for our sins. Now, we fight from a place of victory on this side of heaven (1 Cor. 15:57).

While this world is passing away, God has placed us here– in this exact time and place, and with certain people in our lives for a reason. We are to stay engaged in the battle at hand, knowing that our end destination is far better than anything we can imagine here.  

Heaven is not just a place we will go, but it is a destination that will one day be brought down to earth. God will make all things new, as He has promised (Rev. 21:1-27). Until then, may we not grow weary in sharing the truth and love of God to a world that desperately needs to know Jesus.