“Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.” Isaiah 64:4

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the book group I participate in recently read and discussed “The Great Divorce” by C.S. Lewis. Lewis is an amazing and astute observer of humanity and proves that in his characterizations of different types of people considering entrance into heaven. Lewis pokes at himself and several times poked at me as he strips away pretense and shows what causes people to chose anything but heaven. There were several quotes that spoke to me, but at the top of the list is the following quote:

“[Mortals] say of some temporal suffering, “No future bliss can make up for it,” not knowing Heaven, once attained, will work backwards and turn even that agony into a glory. And of some sinful pleasure they say “Let me have but this and I’ll take the  consequences”: little dreaming how damnation will spread back and back into their past and contaminate the pleasure of the sin. Both processes begin even before death.” – C.S.  Lewis in “The Great Divorce”

I love this picture of heaven as the final and complete redemption. I’ve so often been tempted to think that the first thing I’ll do when I see Jesus is ask him all of my ‘why’ questions about Becky’s death.  But honestly I think that is foolishness. When I see Jesus I’m convinced that all of the why’s of my little life will collapse under the weight of joy. Those things that now consume me and bring me to tears will somehow be viewed in the reality of eternity. It isn’t that they won’t matter any longer, they will matter immensely, but what seems to matter now for sorrow and grief and pain and separation, will then matter for glory and joy and love forever. I can’t wait!

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for
those who love him”— but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 2:9-10