What I Expect In Heaven

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My neighborhood is popular with joggers. Well; one day, as a youthful runner
passed by, I noticed how springy their gate was. As they came down on each foot
in turn, they rebounded, i.e. bounced.

Well; it hit me that it had been quite a while ago that any of my steps were bouncy.
At 78, each time I come down on one of my feet, even when walking, I come to
ground with a solid jolt, as if my legs are made of wood; especially since replacing
my natural knees with artificial joints. I think it might be time for me to get a pair
of those fancy sports shoes that absorb shock. In Messiah's kingdom, I'll be back to
normal.

• Mal 4:2 . . For you who revere My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with
healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.

• Isa 35:6 . .Then will the lame leap like a deer
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I was very fortunate to enjoy the early years of my boyhood outdoors in and
around the San Diego river back in the decade of the 1950s. Much of those
outdoors are all gone now, bulldozed into oblivion to make way for shopping
centers, factories, golf courses, and housing tracks. Where once I might encounter,
at most, five or six people; are now hundreds.

There's a science fiction fantasy called a holographic environment simulator - a.k.a.
Holodeck. With it, folks can re-create and visit historical events. Well; I would really
like it if God has something like a Holodeck with which I could go back in time, so
to speak, and revisit those 1950's environs as they were when I was a boy before
progress erased them forever.

* Speaking of the 1950s; Saturday matinée at the movies cost just 20¢ for kids.

They ran two features, previews of coming attractions, a cartoon, a newsreel, and
usually a bit of serial adventure like Flash Gordon. We could stay and watch
everything all over again at no additional cost. That 20¢ bought a lot of
entertainment.
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I think it's normal to feel a bit of anxiety about meeting with Jesus one-on-one
because we dread he may be someone with whom we cannot relate. But not so.
Jesus was on track to become a high priest. Well, that position has always been
men rather than angels for a very good reason: sympathy, empathy,
understanding, and compassion.

Angels haven't a clue what it's like to live down here on the earth as a human
being. Well; Jesus did it for something like 33 years from childhood to manhood so
he's better prepared to sympathize with our lot than are the angels.

The Bible says there is no trial taken you but such as is common to the entire
human race (1Cor 10:13). Jesus wasn't shielded from any of those. The Word not
only came as a man, but he also lived as a man.

Jesus knows by personal experience what it's like to be unattractive.

"There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract
us to him." (Isa 53:2)

He knows by personal experience what it's like to be marginalized.

"He was despised and rejected" (Isa 53:3a)

He knows by personal experience what it's like to be blue and depressed.

"A man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief." (Isa 53b)

He knows by personal experience what it's like to be shunned.

"We turned our backs on him and looked the other way when he went by." (Isa 53:3a)

He knows by personal experience what it's like to be without pity.

"He was despised, and we did not care." (Isa 53:3b)

He knows by personal experience what it's like to be physically abused.

"Many who were appalled at him-- his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of
any man and his form marred beyond human likeness" (Isa 52:14)

He knows by personal experience what it's like to be a victim of injustice.

"He had done no wrong, and he never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a
criminal" (Isa 53:9)

He knows by personal experience what it's like to be stabbed in the back.

"Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his
heel against me." (Ps 41:9)

Etc.

So then, when we meet with Christ around the table in God's home, I don't expect
to meet a stranger to my way of life; no, I fully expect to meet a man who's been
around the block a time or two. Not only will he be able to relate to my stories, but
I in return will be able to relate to his. Sharing in Christ's glory would have the
nature of an entourage if not for the fact that I will have the satisfaction of knowing
that Christ, in a manner of speaking, came from the same neighborhood as I to get
to where he is today.
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• Heb 2:5-8 . .The future world we are talking about will not be controlled by
angels. For somewhere in the Scriptures it says: What is man that you should think
of him, and the son of man that you should care for him?

. . . For a little while you made him lower than the angels, and you crowned him
with glory and honor. You gave him authority over all things. Now when it says "all
things," it means nothing is left out. But we have not yet seen all of this happen.

• 1Cor 6:2-3 . . Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you
are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not
know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!

From the gist of 1Cor 6:1-5 it appears the justice spoken of is relative to tort
matters rather than crime-- defined as wrongful acts other than breaches of
contract for which relief may be obtained in the form of damages or an injunction;
and there are many categories addressing just about every kind of grievance
imaginable. Well; I'm familiar with human activities but haven't a clue what angels
might have in dispute amongst themselves.

Apparently Messiah intends to delegate quite a bit of his administration's business
rather than attempt to do everything himself; but to be honest, I don't feel capable
of umpiring even so much as a little league game let alone something like that
depicted in 1Kings 3:16-28.
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• 1Cor 13:12 . . Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will
see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete,
but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now.

Back then, mirrors were made of metal, and their surface finish wasn't nearly as
good as the ones now. People's faces were somewhat distorted too, like those
funny mirrors in carnivals. Plus, their reflection was like looking at the world
through a dirty window; they could can see themselves alright, but not sharply.

For example; the first time I used the mirror in my bathroom when I got home from
cataract surgery, I was startled to see how much I had aged over time without
realizing it because now I could see all my wrinkles and blemishes clearly whereas
before surgery I couldn't. It was like the operation had suddenly made me 15 years
older.

For now the exhortation to "Know Thyself" is virtually impossible, but I think most
us prefer not to see the real person that we are in too much detail: at least for now
anyway.
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Human intelligence is produced by a three-pound lump of flabby organic tissue
housed within our bony little skulls; and not even all three of those pounds are
utilized for cognitive processes-- in point of fact, something like 60% of the human
brain's mass is fat.

The IQ of roughly 67% of the population falls between 85 and 115 while 2½% lies
above 130 and another 2½% lies below 70. Apparently the remaining 28% fall
between 70 and 85.

A very bright magazine columnist called Marilyn vos Savant (a.k.a. Marilyn Mach)
has an IQ ranging between 180 and 228; depending on the testing method and/or
who evaluates it.

Point being; there are elements of the Christian religion that make no sense at all;
not even to the brightest minds. For one: all of Adam's posterity were made sinners
the very moment that he tasted the forbidden fruit as if they were right there
tasting it with him in real time. For another: one man's crucifixion satisfied the
justice of God for all the evil that humanity has committed in the past, all that
humanity is now committing, and all evil yet to be committed in the future-- the
totality of humanity's evil from first to last: all of it.

The IQ of the brain I have now cannot even begin to comprehend the logic of those
two elements. However, the Bible predicts that Jesus' followers are on track to be
given a body patterned after the supernatural body that he was given some time
after his resurrection. Well; I anticipate obtaining an improved IQ with that body
so's I can comprehend some, and maybe even all, of Christianity's remarkable
mysteries.
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According to Luke 16:19-31 it was possible at one time to communicate with one's
family should they have perchance ended up on the wrong side of things.

Well; I sincerely hope that's still permitted because there are certain of my loved
ones and BFFs with whom I would very much like to spend some time with before
they are exiled forever in the lake of brimstone depicted by Rev 20:11-15.
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Only people with Heaven locked in have reason to expect anything there; everyone
else is crossing their fingers for the best while in the back of their minds dreading
the worst. And it's likely many haven't given Heaven much thought seeing as how
in their minds even just getting there is a pipe dream, especially since the Bible
says the majority passing on to the other side haven't been making the cut.

• Luke 13:22-24 . . And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and
journeying toward Jerusalem. Then said one unto him, master, are there few that
be saved? And he said unto them: Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I
say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

• Matt 7:13-14 . . Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is
the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate
and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

• Matt 22:14 . . For many are called, but few are chosen.
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In the story told at Luke 16:19-31, a beggar was transported by angels to a
pleasant afterlife location. I'm a little curious why the Bible doesn't say how
Christians are transported to where they're going when they die. It's possible that
the beggar's transportation is the way it's always been, and to this day still is.

Well; I have a question about that because when people pass away, they separate
from the material elements of their existence, i.e. the solid parts. What is there for
the angels to take hold of when we're ghosts?

I'm not sure that I won't be frightened out of my wits coming to on the other side
with celestial beings standing around watching me take my last breath. The first
words out of their mouths had better be "Fear not" or I'm liable to freak out like a
bi-polar gorilla.
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• John 14:2 . . In my Father's house are many private rooms . . I go to prepare a
place for you.

The nicer hotels usually decorate rooms with flowers and even leave some candy
mints on pillows. Well; a Christian I met some years ago said he expects his cat to
be waiting for him in the room Jesus is setting up.

My two favorite pets were the Collie I had as a boy, and the Guinea pig I had as a
grown up. I'd be overjoyed beyond words if they were there waiting for my arrival.
That would be a nice touch.

I heard of a little girl once who said she knew her mommy loved her because when
called in for lunch, there on the plate alongside a sandwich would always be one of
her favorite cookies.

When my son was in elementary school, I got in the habit of making Fridays special
for him by setting up a TV dinner table by the door with either a toy, a game, or a
goody placed there to make him glad to be coming home. Honestly; I expect no
less from Jesus because I am going to need a lot of encouragement and consolation
while getting settled in new surroundings.
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• Gen 11:1 . . Everyone on earth had the same language and the same words.

The Hebrew word for "language" is from saphah (saw-faw') which means: the lip.
The one for "words" is from dabar (daw-baw') which means: a word (as spoken or
written)

Spoken languages are a combination of words and lips; viz: vocabulary and
pronunciation, i.e. accent and inflection. It's one thing to know the words of a
language, but it is quite another to speak them with the correct pronunciation. In
that day, everyone used the same words and spoke them alike.

• Gen 11:6-9 . . and The Lord said: If, as one people with one language for all, this
is how they have begun to act, then nothing that they may propose to do will be
out of their reach. Let us, then, go down and confound their speech there, so that
they shall not understand one another's speech.

. . .Thus The Lord scattered them from there over the face of the whole earth; and
they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel, because there the
Lord confounded the speech of the whole earth; and from there the Lord scattered
them over the face of the whole earth.

That event is handy for showing that languages aren't indelible. In other words; it's
possible that folks in Heaven have returned to the point where everyone is speaking
the same language and the same words; which would go a long ways towards
solidifying unity.
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A good Christian friend of mine passed away back in 2006. At the time, I knew the Bible
quite a bit better than he did. The irony of that is: by the time I get to Heaven he will
know the Bible better; and I rather expect upon arrival to be assigned to his class along
with other newbies wherein my friend will bring us all up to speed not only on things in
the Bible that we missed, but also the many things we misunderstood.
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