Post by Don Gieseke on Jun 22, 2022 6:56:11 GMT -6
Wednesday, June 22
A Robust View of Heaven
For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Philippians 1:21
Lee Strobel wrote about Clay Jones, who came to Christ at age twelve after hearing Billy Graham preach about heaven and hell. Over time Jones grew in the Lord, married his sweetheart, and became a pastor and professor. One day, he was diagnosed with a virulent form of cancer. Getting the news, Clay and his wife held hands, wept, and prayed.
“This is going to sound strange,” Jones said, “but I wasn’t afraid of dying…Yes, I mourned that I’d be leaving my wife. But, you see, I had a robust view of heaven—and that’s what made all the difference.”
Jones’ initial diagnoses proved in error, and he was successfully treated for a milder form of the disease. But he’s never forgotten the peace of knowing that to live is Christ and to die is gain.[1] Because of God’s love for us, we can spend eternity with Him, and that changes everything!
If God can create all the beauty and excitement of our current universe, he’s certainly capable of creating an eternally stimulating and rewarding experience for his followers in the new heaven and the new earth.
Clay Jones
[1]Lee Strobel, The Case for Heaven (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2021), chapter 1.