Heaven on Earth

The song, “I Can Only Imagine” by Mercy Me has touched many. Through this beautiful song, we are encouraged to consider what it might be like to be in Heaven.

We can anticipate being in the Glorious Presence of The One. We can look forward to seeing those who got there before us. But after the big reunion, what will we actually do there?

Many believe all earth problems will be left behind. The earth people will just have to go on without them. But what if that is not true?

If I can only imagine … I think it might work this way.

Ephesians 2:10 says
“For we are God’s Handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

I believe God created us very specifically with certain Gifts and talents. He sent us to earth to be here at this specific time and learn from and teach those around us.

Earth is our “boot camp.” We are trained here. We learn how to use the talents we have been given.

We are given a “training manual” — The Bible. We will learn from reading it and absorbing its message. However, we will then be put through training exercises, which are our practical experiences. We will be tested to see if we really understand how to practice the principles of what we believed we learned.

We learn that our Commander … our Teacher …is not just in front of us or behind us. He is everywhere, including the inside of us.

We learn how to function, listening to Him and not depending on just the cues our outer body brings us.

We will make mistakes, as we learn. But The Teacher will be with us every second. He will guard us and guide us. He will correct us and praise us. As we learn, He will give us more and more responsibilities.

The longer we are in training, the easier some things will become for us. However, the tests may become harder. All tests are designed to help us remember something we knew from the beginning of our life. We are totally dependent upon God.

“For, in Him, we live and move and have our being …”
Acts 17:28

So if earth is training … boot camp … what are we being trained for? What does earth have to do with Heaven?

I believe we are being trained to continue those good works for which we have been prepared. Our duty station after graduation from earth will be Heaven!

Jesus was once asked about marriage in heaven. He replied that there would be no marriages there because we will “be like the angels in heaven.”
Matthew 22:30

If Jesus perhaps meant that in general instead of just in regard to marriage, then we should be looking at what angels do.

They function at the direction of God and they are very active in Heaven and on earth. I do not believe we become angels, but perhaps when promoted from our earthly bodies, we will be free to come and go to all the places in The Universe God sends us.

Perhaps we will be very aware of all that is happening on earth. But, because we will view it from a higher plane, we will be able to see how God is working it all together for good.

Perhaps when God puts the finishing touches on us, the talents we refined on earth will bloom in all His Glory. We will be ready to go where He sends us and function perfectly as He created us to be.

Perhaps we shall be free of all pettiness and envy and we will all work together … angels and all of us together in heaven and on earth … with the goal of bringing more and more people into the kingdom of Heaven on earth.

Perhaps then we will know that Heaven and earth were never designed to be separate. We will know The Joy of being one in The One!

Right now stop and feel the wonder of working together with the angels and saints. We can all pray the prayer Jesus taught us.

“Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven …”
Matthew 6:9-10