A Case for Heaven by Lisa Burkhardt Worley
What do you think happens when you die?
So many people believe this life is all there is, that you’d better live it up because once it’s over the party hats are put away forever.
That, of course, is not what I’ve banked my life on. I believe that this stretch on earth is just a short dress rehearsal prior to an eternity living in the midst of our heavenly Father.
This week in Scripture I saw a passage in a new light. In Mark 12, the Sadducees, religious rulers of Jesus’s day, had just approached Jesus with a question about marriage, basically asking Jesus, “If a wife had more than one husband, who would be her husband in heaven?” Jesus told them that there is no marriage in Heaven and that we will be like the angels instead. But then he said this:
“But now, as to whether the dead will be raised—haven’t you ever read about this in the writings of Moses, in the story of the burning bush? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said to Moses, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ So He is the God of the living, not the dead” (Mark 12:26, NLT).
In other words, those great patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, long gone, are not still in the grave. They are alive and with God! That’s because God is not a God to the dead, He’s a God to those who are still living. That is some assurance about what happens after you die. You take your last breath here, then you breathe anew in paradise. It’s a great case for Heaven.
But in order to have this assurance of forever with God, rather than separated from God, there’s one catch. You have to believe in God’s Son Jesus Christ, that he sacrificed his life for us to bridge the chasm between unholy souls and a holy God. Ephesians 2:6 says, “For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.” We’ll be in the same room as God and Jesus! A chair is waiting in the eternal living room.
So as I reflect on this subject, I have some questions:
Will some of the patriarchs be available for one-on-one discussions? Personality-wise, I’d say I’m a lot like Moses. An excuse maker. A runner. But once I know God is calling me to a task, I’m all in. I’d like to meet with him and talk about our similarities.
Will our gifts/talents still be utilized in Heaven? Maybe there’ll be a celestial news station.
Will we be weightless? It would be great to not worry about dieting anymore.
There are more questions but I’ll spare you. Instead I leave you with a promise that there’s a great future ahead with the God of the living. If you’re not certain about your future, it’s time to secure your one-way ticket to eternal life.
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Are you ready to “level-up” your faith? I want to invite you to our annual Level-Up Women’s Conference coming up October 9th at Northview Baptist Church in Lewisville where we will be leveling up truth, trust and leveling down trials. Speakers include KCBI Radio Morning Show Host Rebecca Carrell, Gateway Church Pastor Elizabeth Settle, Human Trafficking Survivor Sandy Storm, Best-Selling Author, Liz Morris, Worship Leaders Debra Camp and Katherine Legg, and our entire POP Team: Rosemary, Dr. Lynnette, Aurora and myself. It’s only $49! Sign up today on Eventbrite.