http://brettveenstra.com/2006/01/21/heaven-is-scary/ Rants, Dreams, Recollections... on the Walk Fri, 12 Sep 2008 10:38:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc http://brettveenstra.com/2006/01/21/heaven-is-scary/comment-page-1/#comment-7 Bobhttp://www.bobchristenson.com Sat, 21 Jan 2006 22:18:05 +0000 http://brettveenstra.com/?p=10#comment-7 <p>Huh. Interesting thoughts here. Although, honestly, I can't relate one bit.<br/><br/>All I think of when I think of heaven is "every tear will be wiped away, ever need will be met". Honestly, my addiction to CS Lewis has helped me envision heaven to a point where I no longer fear the unknown. In many of his books he's created different 'sketches' of what heaven might be like....but the central focus of all of them was total peace and fufilment.<br/><br/>I guess, every time the thought enters my mind that heaven may be something I don't like (or is less than optimal), immediately I remember: If its less than pure contentment, it's not heaven. That's why, to a point, I believe heaven to be 'custom made' for each soul. We will worship God in our own unique way (remembering we'll still be US, not just some blob), and the ability to finally express ourselves and our thanks to God in a totally unfettered way would be pure extacy.<br/><br/>Obviously, much of my mindset on this comes from "The Great Divorce", but also much of Lewis' writings on "nostalgia" and our peeks of heaven we get while still in this life. Readings such as "The Weight of Glory" go a long way to helping shape a view on this as well....<br/><br/>So, why Lewis, and not directly from the Bible? In no way do I think the bible incorrect in it's description of heaven, but I do, in fact, find it lending to the 'scariness" of heaven because of it's writing style. Lewis takes the biblical fact and turns it into a tangible reality that I've actually experienced....saying "You've experienced nostalgia...what if that's a momentary glimpse of heaven"....and I can totally connect with that because it's experiental. <br/><br/>To me, heaven is scary only when it's based on fact only...as soon as you throw in experience or relationship (as Dion suggests), then it becomes "real", and I can be assured I'll find pleasure and completeness in it.</p> Huh. Interesting thoughts here. Although, honestly, I can’t relate one bit.<br/><br/>All I think of when I think of heaven is “every tear will be wiped away, ever need will be met”. Honestly, my addiction to CS Lewis has helped me envision heaven to a point where I no longer fear the unknown. In many of his books he’s created different ‘sketches’ of what heaven might be like….but the central focus of all of them was total peace and fufilment.<br/><br/>I guess, every time the thought enters my mind that heaven may be something I don’t like (or is less than optimal), immediately I remember: If its less than pure contentment, it’s not heaven. That’s why, to a point, I believe heaven to be ‘custom made’ for each soul. We will worship God in our own unique way (remembering we’ll still be US, not just some blob), and the ability to finally express ourselves and our thanks to God in a totally unfettered way would be pure extacy.<br/><br/>Obviously, much of my mindset on this comes from “The Great Divorce”, but also much of Lewis’ writings on “nostalgia” and our peeks of heaven we get while still in this life. Readings such as “The Weight of Glory” go a long way to helping shape a view on this as well….<br/><br/>So, why Lewis, and not directly from the Bible? In no way do I think the bible incorrect in it’s description of heaven, but I do, in fact, find it lending to the ‘scariness” of heaven because of it’s writing style. Lewis takes the biblical fact and turns it into a tangible reality that I’ve actually experienced….saying “You’ve experienced nostalgia…what if that’s a momentary glimpse of heaven”….and I can totally connect with that because it’s experiental. <br/><br/>To me, heaven is scary only when it’s based on fact only…as soon as you throw in experience or relationship (as Dion suggests), then it becomes “real”, and I can be assured I’ll find pleasure and completeness in it.

]]> http://brettveenstra.com/2006/01/21/heaven-is-scary/comment-page-1/#comment-6 Dion Sat, 21 Jan 2006 14:19:42 +0000 http://brettveenstra.com/?p=10#comment-6 <p>i think this way too sometimes... the scariness of heaven. but it's mostly when i've thought about heaven as a place... and it certainly IS a place... but i don't think that's what makes heaven, heaven... you know?<br/><br/>what makes it heaven is the presence of God... the reign of Christ, the one my heart was made to be joined with... when i think of heaven as a relationship, then it doesn't seem so scary. Maybe that's because i'm relational and i get a lot of fulfillment from them. But the idea of being able to explore God and get to know him more completely for all eternity, that excites me. So i've been saying lately that more than a place, <a HREF="http://st-matthew.org/audio/090405.mp3" REL="nofollow">heaven is a person.</a></p> i think this way too sometimes… the scariness of heaven. but it’s mostly when i’ve thought about heaven as a place… and it certainly IS a place… but i don’t think that’s what makes heaven, heaven… you know?<br/><br/>what makes it heaven is the presence of God… the reign of Christ, the one my heart was made to be joined with… when i think of heaven as a relationship, then it doesn’t seem so scary. Maybe that’s because i’m relational and i get a lot of fulfillment from them. But the idea of being able to explore God and get to know him more completely for all eternity, that excites me. So i’ve been saying lately that more than a place, heaven is a person.

]]>