23rd June 2012

I wonder what graduation in heaven looks like. Nothing like our experience at Derby University just a few years ago, I’m sure. For a start I wasn’t there to put my arm around Jane when she arrived. And surely there’ll be something rather more special to wear as well… I still have that shirt and jacket in my wardrobe, maybe it’s time to go shopping again! Then again this photo was taken in the main student entrance area which looks far more like the local pub than anything else. So what will heaven look like? Like nothing on earth I reckon. The perfect presence of Almighty God will fill the place with the most wonderful glory, his peace and understanding will be almost tangible and every trace of evil will be banished. There’ll be no locksmiths in heaven, so there skills will need challenging in a different arena. Maybe the police will find occasional occupation organising crowd control, but otherwise be completely redundant. And as for bankers or any financial service, well I can’t really conceive of any need for currency in God’s perfect provision of everything we need. Imagine a baker who just loves to bake, amongst other things of course. And a farmer who loves to grow stuff. Or a technology guy who loves to create new gadgets. And so much more… all done solely for the love of doing, a complete reward in itself. There’ll be no selfishness, so no hesitation in everyone just giving and giving and giving after doing what they love best to do. Though quite likely we’ll all enjoy career change every now and again as well. Ok, this is just me speculating and the reality will be far better than any of my ideas!

Graduation to Heaven Checklist

1. Admit that I have been living my way and not how God wants. The Bible calls this sin and separates us from the Lord. The Bible says the penalty for sin is death.

2. Believe in who Jesus is, the Son of God, born as a man who was the only person ever to have lived a perfect life, a life without any sin whatsoever. He was wrongly convicted then executed, taking our deserved punishment for sin upon himself. He then rose from the dead having conquered death itself, all so that we might receive forgiveness and know God in our lives for all eternity.

3. Commit to living God’s way, not our way.

Some first steps… read the Bible, join a church and then of course, baptism in water is the perfect opportunity to confess new life. Ok, I’ve passed that particular list. It’s the post-graduate course I’m still working on…

Romans 10:9 ^‘If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.’ (NLT)