The promise of heaven

To me, I barely possess the vernacular to describe heaven. After all, "no eye has seen, no ear has heard..." but for the sake of the exercise, I'll try. The nature of heaven, to me, is a place beyond our boundaries of time and space. It is a place where there is no more pain, no more tears and no more remorse. It is a place of eternal praise and rest. It is then "joy unspeakable and full of glory."
We will find our place in the presence of God. I believe that is where we will finally realize - aha! that was what life was all about. Paul wrote that he only saw in part, that he hadn't attained perfection, and on and on with the metaphors of partial realizations that we gain here on Earth.
In heaven, that all comes to fruition. I believe it to be a place of everlasting joy. We finally get to meet Jesus - face to face! I say this from personal experience. In 1989, I had a heatstroke and actually died for a short period of time. During that span, long story short, I was transported into a place of blinding yet calming light. I remember feeling like I was no longer confined to my own body, that I had somehow transcended it. The next thing I was aware of was a presence in front of me. I still remember looking up and seeing a majestic robe. It was bright and the further I raised my head, the greater the radiance was. I couldn't even see above a certain point, but I knew, just knew in my being that I was in the presence of Christ. It was at that moment that I heard him say that it wasn't my time yet and then BOOM! I was back in my own body and in all of the pain and convulsions that I had been before.
All of that was to say that I not only believe in heaven but I have also been blessed enough to have experienced just a taste of what heaven was like. The ironic thing about that is that I would later live as though I hadn't. Just another proof that miracles do NOT inspire, in and of themselves, long term responses.
Anyway, back to the topic. When heaven is brought up in conversation, I usually go back into my mind to a time when I was 11. My grandmother had just passed away very unexpectedly. I remember talking with my dad, who was younger than I am now, about what heaven was like and what Grandma must now be seeing. I remember thrilling at the prospect that she was in the presence of Jesus. She was getting to meet David, Moses, Noah, Peter and all of the heroes of the Bible. I will never forget that night and the childlike innocence that I possessed at that moment.
I really believe that is what heaven is all about. It is when we truly become childlike again. I mean that to say that we are once again INNOCENT! If that were all heaven is, then it would still be worth everything. To be innocent and unknowing of evil, guilt and fear. I hate those three things so much. To be free of their bondage will be so heavenly.
When heaven is brought into conversation, to me, it is better than any Christmas memory that I had as a child. When comes up, it always seems to bring is with it joy and even a bit of wistfulness. I long to be there, but I must remember that my labor here is not finished yet. In my case, the Lord literally had something more for me to do for his kingdom. I don't want to forsake that.
I believe that my concept in heaven can ONLY enhance my intimacy with God. To think that he has prepared a place that so much greater than anything I can comprehend!
Because I have had a dynamic experience with heaven, I believe that has afforded me the chance to describe it to others in vivid detail- at least from a standpoint of feelings and perceptions. This in turn gives me the feeling of great intimacy with God. My experiences, as great as they were, though, are still not enough to rely upon. My reliance must come upon the Lord himself. If at times he seems distant, I must remember of the promises that he has made me through his Word and through the experiences that I have had. Heaven and the promise thereof allows for such peace and trust in God that I feel that I can empty my heart and soul to him. The promise of heaven is so great that I know that despite the pains that I encounter in life, the doubts that naturally creep in or the times when I want to give up can't overcome it. To know that God loves us so much that he has given us the chance to be in his presence FOREVER is mind-blowing!
Even what I can conceive of is so incredible that I am literally smiling as I write this. It is utterly so vital that we gain at least a perspective of what our lives are about. we are not just sleep-walking through this life. We are not the random arrangement of molecules, we have been given a purpose. As Christians, we are to live a life that is pleasing to the lord. This is for two reasons. One, yes, is to secure our future with God in heaven. But secondly, and just as important, is that we are to live a life that reflects the greater future of heaven so that OTHERS may see that. We want others to know that they too can have a place in heaven, if they will but turn their lives over to Jesus Christ! God gives us the choice to accept this eternal place of joy and happiness. How can we choose anything else?