We pray for God's kingdom to come and for everything to be on earth as things are in heaven: "your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10) But what are our expectations of what heaven is like, and how can we allow God to realize those qualities of heaven here on earth?
Consider these questions:
Do we expect heaven to be segregated? I don't mean only racially, but in any kind of grouping of people we can imagine.
Who will determine who gets to join God in heaven? Who is the righteous judge? One of us? Or Jesus?
Will heaven have delineations between rich and poor? Or will whatever we could possibly possess be shared?
Will we love everybody else in heaven, no matter who they are or what they have done?
In what ways do your responses affect how you view God's kingdom impacting the world and how you implement your daily faith?
How about these questions about our existence in heaven, aligning with God's will:
If God says to do something, will we jump to do it and satisfy the Lord's will?
Will we be worried whether God will take care of us? (Isn't it funny how we can believe in God's care in a mysterious, faraway space but find it hard to believe God will care for us in this life?)
Will we desire to be in God's presence, or will we crave something else to do?
How do your answers inform the way you put your faith into practice in the here and now?
And a final question: If we can understand God's ways in heaven and desires for the earth, who is obstructing the revealing of God's kingdom on earth? Could it be us? Can we start today to better align with God's kingdom of heaven on earth?
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