How loud could a new set of Bose speakers boom if there were no highest number on the volume control?
What would a Thanksgiving turkey look like if you never took it out of a 375 degree oven, ever?
Which professional sports teams would dominate without a salary cap?
The idea of limitlessness blows our minds.
So when Christians talk about eternal life in heaven, we’ve become a bit complacent, I think. We say, “Yep, eternity is way beyond my understanding, I accept it in faith, but there’s no use thinking about it.”
Why waste time on something so far out there? I’ll give you two good reasons.
First, that is the worship of faith. Like Abraham and Sarah believing that despite their infertility and old age, they’d have a baby. For nine months they laughed full of joy with gawking onlookers and eager friends. Or the book of Revelation reporting so much spectacular worship in heaven.
And that’s the second thing. Why waste time thinking about the unthinkable? Because it can help us think about it in new and better ways. Not totally understand it. But appreciate a new sparkle of its gem.
Like this, for instance. Ponder what “eternal” means when it comes to heaven. Search the Scriptures. Meditate. Pray. And here’s what you’ll find.
The limitlessness of heaven is not just the quantity of time, but the quality of experience. That’s what we see in the visions Jesus showed to John in the book of Revelation. The highest quality of worship that can be processed by the human mind is described.
The richest of gems. The loudest of praise. The biggest of worship crowds (a pastor’s dream). The most magnificent appearances of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. An awe, fulfillment and joy like we will never know until we get there.
Though, for now, by faith, we do know and enjoy a glimpse of this. Think about that, too.
“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).
PRAYER: Dear Jesus, you are preparing heaven for me and preparing me for heaven. For now, I think about it with an earthbound mind and my vision of it is limited. Yet, I find joy in the glimpse of a limitless quality experience. Inspire my awe right now, as I await an unmaxed awe in heaven. Amen.
FURTHER MEDITATION: Search the Scriptures. Where in Revelation do you find some worship gatherings that are described as out of this world? Find at least one, there are plenty. Take note how the limitlessness is not just quantity of time, but quality of experience.
