If you want to picture heaven more vividly, try reading Jonathan Edwards.
Many know Edwards only for his sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” But in another great sermon he preached that the believer’s access to Jesus in heaven will be even more free than the Disciples had to Jesus during His earthly ministry.
Picture the Disciples eating the last supper with Jesus as you read Edward’s encouragement. He assured his congregation:
Christ will give himself to you, with all those various excellencies that meet in him, to your full and everlasting enjoyment. He will ever after treat you as his dear friend; and you shall ere long be where he is, and shall behold his glory, and dwell with him, in most free and intimate communion and enjoyment . . . the saints’ conversation in with Christ in heaven shall not only be as intimate and their access to him as free, as of the disciples on earth, but in many respects much more so . . . When the saints shall see Christ’s glory and exaltation in heaven, it will indeed possess their hearts with the greater admiration and adoring respect, but it will not awe them into any separation, but will serve only to heighten their surprise and joy . . . So that if we choose Christ for our friend . . . we shall hereafter be so received to him, that there shall be nothing to hinder the fullest enjoyment of him, to the satisfying the utmost cravings of our souls. We may take our full swing at gratifying our spiritual appetite after these holy pleasures. . . There shall never be any end of this happiness, or any thing to interrupt our enjoyment of it, or in the least to molest us in it![Jesus] will treat you as his dear friend; and you shall [always] be where he is, and shall behold his glory, and dwell with him, in most free and intimate communion and enjoyment . . .
It is amazing to consider. Do you realize that if you put your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, that He is not ashamed to say that you are His brother or sister (Hebrews 2:10-14)? And, that if you have done that, you can be very sure that soon you will be with Him forever.
My family has a spot in the Heavenly City all picked out. We’re going to meet at the 5th tree on the right side of the river facing the throne. We would love to have you stop by and visit us.
See Justin Taylor’s endorsement of the Essential Edwards Collection and Scott Anderson, Christ: Our Eternal Entertainment
This was wonderful Chris! What a blessing to know that we shall have an intimate relationship with our Lord. The picture in words that Edwards paints comforts my soul today. Thank you for sharing as you always do. Even if I do not always comment, I read what you post and say AMEN!