For all of this world’s troubles and problems, I often find incredible beauty on this planet. I absolutely love watching the sun rise above the lake on a warm summer morning. I practically get goosebumps when walking on the beach and watching the ocean waves crash endlessly with a sound that soothes my soul. I’ve even had my breath literally taken away by the picturesque clouds and mountains I’ve observed from the vantage point of flying in an airplane.

 

And those are just examples of the physical beauty of God’s creation. I’m equally, if not more amazed by the kindness and compassion that people sometimes show one another. We’ve all learned the hard way that humans can treat each other horribly, yet it’s awe-inspiring to see how many of us will rally around hurting people to help them. When someone faces significant financial distress due to unforeseen circumstances, many people will rise to the occasion and meet the needs of that person. When someone loses a spouse or a child, friends and family members will feel their pain and demonstrate deep, heartfelt levels of care and compassion.

 

Sometimes I try to imagine a perfect world. I consider not only the natural beauty of creation, but also the intangible, more precious realities such as perfect love, kindness, joy, and peace. I think about what heaven will be like; I even long for it (although I often think I’d rather not leave this world just yet). No matter how incredible of a heavenly paradise I can possibly imagine, it will never even begin to compare with what actually lies ahead.

 

I get so excited (if incredulous) when I remember what God says in His Word, as recorded in 1 Corinthians 2:9:

 

“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard,

and what no human mind has conceived”—

the things God has prepared for those who love him.

 

I can hardly fathom the joy I would experience by living in a heaven that I can imagine. How amazing will eternity be, knowing it’s really something far, far beyond my wildest dreams? Sometimes I’m glad to be wrong. As Max Lucado writes, “When it comes to describing heaven, we are all happy failures.”

 

Troy Burns