Think of this idea: we have the glory NOW! Yes, in heaven all will be tangible but in spirit we are THERE already! I never could figure out what glory meant. It always seemed like God's greatness that we were supposed to praise. I love how Lewis defines glory as God's approval, acceptance, welcoming, His saying well-done to us. Just think, we have that NOW through the perfect and unchangeable obedience of Christ. And not only do we have that now due to the RICH gift of grace but also we have it forever because His work to give it to us is perfect for all time!
The article lists a lot of things that we'll have in heaven. As I read I just kept substituting "now" in for "heaven," and it amazes me to think of all we have now in spirit:
- The desire to be with God is fulfilled - we are in UNION with Him in our spirits.
- The desire for His love is fulfilled - He loves us the SAME way He loves Christ.
- We are WITH Christ, in close loving conversation. We have Him which is infinite bliss, we know the JOY of His presence.
- We are like Christ NOW, for as He is, so are we!
- We are glorified and have glory NOW.
- We have glory in the sense that He approves of us and says well-done, good and faithful servant, He accepts us and has welcomed us in.
- We also have glory in the sense that we glow like holy lightbulbs, as the light of the world, for the TRUE light in us shines forth and is we walk around with a Jesus glow for all to see and be attracted to. We are the temple of God, and His glory radiates from His temple.
- We are eating from the tree of life, God Himself right NOW. We're living directly on God, feasting on His life. We are partying and relaxing in glory with Jesus.
- We REIGN in life because of Him, are more than conquerors, have authority over ALL the power of the evil one.
- We are IN! Not on the outside of His life, love and acceptance but IN it! If we find we are already inside a room, we make NO EFFORT to enter it (Watchman Nee).
- We belong. We belong in His country, we belong in His heart! He's satisfied with what He made - us as His new creations and as Jesus' bride!
We were made for another world, the world of Him who is PURE LOVE - that is our native country. His life and love and acceptance is our air, and breath, and water. That is the world our spirits live in right now. Heaven is just the new creation of God that is IN God brought to visible expression to our bodily eyes! And though invisible to human eyes at present, just think - we have ETERNITY NOW! Yes!
We are dancing in the dance of The Trinity! Loved with an unimaginable love...taken in...accepted forever without possibility of rejection. Approved! Glorified! Given His very glory, the approval rating of Christ Himself! It's been true since we first believed. When we first believed we were transferred at that moment to this beautiful Kingdom of the Son, Grace Land, Love Land, HIM! We were lifted out of death and into LIFE. The eternal One! We are part of the Eternal!
I love thinking about Him and I love the fact that my greatest longing and desire - to be accepted and approved of by God - HAS been met through the finished work of Jesus Christ! Glory now, Eternity now. True for you, me, all believers - even unbelievers are included if they will just accept by faith the acceptance given...
The Lord will be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory...
(Is. 60:19).
With love,
