Paul alludes to this in 1 Corinthian 2:9: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him."
We can only imagine what awaits us from the glimpses Scripture gives us of this great glory. And it is these glimpses of our prize that keep us steadfastly anchored to the rock that is our foundation.
The Bible tells us that in heaven we will rejoice and revel in God's presence. That's what makes heaven, heaven. In heaven, we're going to be reunited with family and friends, all the loved ones who've gone before us in Christ. In heaven, we're going to be restored and renewed and completed in Jesus Christ, given immortal, glorified bodies and serve Him day and night.
Advertisement
We're not going to sit in heaven and waste eternity away. We're going to be serving God forever. We're going to walk with Him always.
That's why we live for eternity. Because we know that death isn't the end. Death for the Christian is a doorway — the exit from life and the entrance to eternity.
In knowing this, we must know, too, that there are eternal consequences to everything we do in the here and now. We have so many choices in life. But for the afterlife, we get only two choices: heaven or hell!
Isn't it interesting that Jesus, who is love incarnate, ended the Sermon on the Mount with a good, healthy, holy dose of fear? He talks about judgment. He talks about the broad road that leads to destruction. He tells us that while we have many choices there are consequences to every choice, that the decision we make today determines our destiny, forever. Choose to live without God in life, and you choose to live without God in the afterlife.
That's why Jesus came to earth. He arrived to save us from making the wrong choice, from being judged and found wanting and delivered to hell and its eternal death. He came to offer eternal life instead to all who believe, to all who build a life to last on the bedrock of His reality. He came to show us that the life that we know now is but preparation for the eternity to come. Thus the words of the prophet who admonishes: "Prepare to meet your God." 17
To build your life to last means building for eternity on a foundation of Jesus Christ. Do you know Christ? Or do you just know the name and a few things about Christ? Does Christ know you? Are you living as a child of God? Do you exhibit the character of the kingdom? Again, do you know Christ? Is Jesus living in you? Are you seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness?
San Francisco's iconic and oft-photographed Golden Gate Bridge is absolutely essential to meeting the transportation needs of the Bay area. So much so that it is one of the first things in America to receive increased attention when the terrorism alert level escalates.