Have you ever experienced something that made you think it might be like heaven? Time spent near bodies of water especially at a place on Lake Ontario is one of those places for me; it never grows old.
On a recent visit I was listening to the song “Sweet By and By” sung by The Grascals. Feel free to click the blue link to take a listen but make sure you come back to finish reading. One stanza talks about how the Father (God) waits to prepare our dwelling place. The refrain talks about meeting on the beautiful shore. It was the perfect song to make the phrase ‘a foretaste of heaven’ come to mind as I saw three things that I believe will be true of heaven.
Endless beauty
Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created. –Revelation 4:11 (ESV)
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy. –Psalm 96:11-12 (ESV)
All one can see from standing on the shore is endless beauty. Creation emits God’s glory–whether it be the sun, the clouds, the vast water that goes on endlessly, the trees or flowers to name a few. Think about how intricately made each of those things are and the endless beauty they have.
Glorious Light
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. –John 1-5 (NIV)
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them. –Psalm 8:3-4 (NIV)
There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. –1 Corinthians 15:41 (ESV)
There is such beauty in the glorious lights that are present at the lake. We are reminded that Jesus is the true Light of all mankind. Despite the darkness sometimes present in this world, the Light still shines through. I am in awe of the sunsets that we can behold. Even in the dark of night we have the moon and the stars that still shine through showing us God’s glory. The Light is always with us.
Harmony and Unity
“But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.” –Job 12:7-10 (NIV)
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. –Psalm 19:1 (NIV)
When I am near the water it seems as though all of creation is in harmony and unity. The birds of the air, the butterflies, the insects, the wind, and the lake all are doing what they were created to do–to give glory to God and fulfill the purpose for which they were made. It is the cycle of life which is all in harmony and unity.
Be encouraged this week to…
… notice all the different creations that all have endless beauty.
… take time to dwell with the Light of the world and be in awe of the lights of the sky.
… be part of the harmony and unity that is present in this world.
REFLECTION:
How have you experienced a foretaste of heaven near a body of water?
What sacred place is a foretaste of heaven for you?
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters. –Psalm 24:1-2 (NIV)
Can you please help complete this post by sharing something or somewhere you have experienced a foretaste of heaven? Please leave your comment below.
Note: My apologies for being absent a few weeks as I was out of town unexpectedly. I will be taking another few weeks off so feel free to stop by and read any of the 522 reflections here. God bless!
