Sunday, January 24, 2010

What Will I Do In Heaven?

As we sit around my parents' kitchen table sharing coffee, something yummy from Mom's oven, and good conversation, the talk has - on more than one occasion - turned to heaven. What will it be like? What, exactly, will we do for eternity? Eternity, after all, is quite a long time.

I must sheepishly confess that I have had some reservations about singing songs of praise forever. I hasten to explain that I love worship. There have often been times when I wish our worship time in church could just go on for - well - forever.

Many years ago, I read a little paragraph in a Bible Study that changed my view of heaven and gave me a little thrill of excitement. The author said that in spite of what we may have been taught she believed that we would have jobs to do in heaven. And not just any jobs. Each of our jobs would be tailored to fit us perfectly.

I immediately had visions of my Mom quilting away, making a quilt fit for a King; of my husband hard at work building something that would last for eternity; of myself writing something that would glorify and edify.

For the past two days my little devotional, "Joy and Strength" (a gift from a sweet friend), has talked about this very thing. Isn't it amazing the way the Lord works this sort of thing out?

Here are a few quotes:

" We are taught to believe of the Blessed, that they 'serve Him day and night in His temple,'...And this must be with powers and endowments developed in harmony with higher worlds, so that all the tastes, the desires, the affections, the artistic powers, the intellectual gifts, which belong to each individual, each with his own special capacities, trained and developed and exercised in spiritual modes of life, will be suited to that higher world, where they dwell in the presence of the Almighty God..."
Thomas Thelluson Carter

"And doubtless unto thee is given
A life that bears immortal fruit
In such great offices as suit
The full grown energies of heaven."
Alfred Tennyson

"May not instruments thus formed, when this passing scene is over, and we appear in God's presence, cleansed and disciplined, with the true workman's hand, may we not be set to work in higher spheres, in grander ministries, in a world of nobler service? We speak of heaven as a sort of rest, of sweet consolation, of communion with God, such as we cannot know on earth; but consistently with this perfect sweetness, heaven is full of activity, of ministrations infinite."
T.T. Carter

I am delighted with this picture of heaven. I cannot quite imagine the glorious sound of every ransomed soul singing praises to the King of Kings. I am sure, I will feel as though I want it to go on forever. He is more than worthy of such endless praise. But I find great joy in the thought of serving Him as well - serving with a heart free from the limitations of this life.

Blessings,
Linda

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