Heaven is preposterous; that’s why I believe in it!

Imagine this scenario.

Sometime before your birth, you are having a conversation (of some type, in some setting, just use your imagination) with someone about your future life in a place called Earth.

You: “And this Earth, it’s supposed to be beautiful, right?  With glorious landscapes and fresh air and it has seasons?  This planet is situated just the exact right distance from the sun to sustain life?  And there are oceans and mountains, rivers and seashores, farms and villages and cities?  You can spend your days fishing or mountain-climbing or flying a kite? And the food is incredible, every kind imaginable?”

He: “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m telling you.”

You: “You know this is preposterous, don’t you?”

He: “Why?”

You: “Because look around at the rest of the universe.  There is nothing like it.  In the entire Galaxy, do you see another planet just like that? They are all balls of stone or globes of fire or poisonous gases.”

He: “That’s right.”

You: “That’s why I have difficulty believing in earth.  There is nothing like it in the universe, nothing to prepare me for believing in Earth.”

He: “Not only is there an Earth, but it is so perfect, once you get there, you can live in peace and comfort all your days–three score and ten and possibly beyond–without a single thought as to how it’s all happening.  If you like, you can spend your existence studying, say, the life of Abraham Lincoln or even trying to become a leader like him, and never wonder about the air you breathe, the spinning of the Earth on its axis, the orbit it’s taking around the sun, the condition of the sun, or the journey of the Galaxy throughout the universe.”

You: “None of that?  I don’t have to worry about how this is happening? I can just get on with living?”

He: “That’s right.”

You: “That’s preposterous.”

He: “I know. Isn’t it wonderful?”

The word preposterous comes from “pre” meaning “before” and “posterous” meaning “to come after.”  Something that is “before and after” at the same time might be said to be reversed or backward. Absurd.

If, let us say, someone had come from Earth to tell the pre-existent you about life on this planet, would you have believed?  Would that have helped?

Well. We have that, you know.

Listen to this: “Truly I say to you, we speak that which we know.  We bear witness of that which we have seen…. If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how shall you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has been to Heaven other than the One who descended from Heaven. And you’re talking to Him right now.” (My slight paraphrase of John 3:11-13)

This is why I believe in Heaven: It’s so preposterous, so absurd, so other-worldly.

Just like earth.

Professor Fisher Humphreys says, “One reason I know Heaven is going to be so fascinating is that Earth is so interesting.”

“Do not let your heart be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many dwelling places.  If it were not so, I would have told you, for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I do that, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:1-3)

It is not important that I understand a single thing about how Heaven operates, although I find the subject fascinating.  In truth, I don’t even understand much as to how Earth manages to hang here on nothing and provide everything we need for life without so much as messing up my hair as I sit here at the laptop.

I believe, Lord Jesus. Help my unbelief.

 

 

One thought on “Heaven is preposterous; that’s why I believe in it!

  1. Amazing! I never thought about how preposterous earth is. We accept it because we are here and it is familiar. This has given me a whoe new view of things. Thank you.

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