“To be swallowed up into his [Jesus’] glory defies all realms of imagination and glory.”- Jared C. Wilson
“I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven — whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise — whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows — and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter.”- 2 Corinthians 12:2-4
In Chapter 10 (“Lurv Wins”), the concluding chapter of The Imperfect Disciple, Jared Wilson discusses heaven. He underscores that biblical authors like Paul and John found their direction and attention totally hijacked by the glory of the Triune God and the Lamb sitting on the throne. They “wrestled finitely with their vision of the infinite.” Therefore Jesus — finally seeing Him face-to-face, is the whole point.
Hence, Pastor Wilson exhorts us to “follow the signposts of this world to the great face of our Lord Jesus Christ.” In addition, we follow the vast array of earthly joys and loves left by pilgrims preceding us. Otherwise, we miss out on the joys of heaven and the joys of earthly life. For those things we look for everywhere else but God we find only in God. And even the greatest earthly joys pale in comparison to the beauty and love we find in God. In heaven we feel and experience love greater than our capacity to love. And even think about love.
Even though Paul experienced heaven, he failed to find suitable words to describe it. In the same manner, we can’t envision our everlasting sharing in God’s glory. Pastor Wilson concludes:
“We will get turned inside out, upside down. . . . filled with glory and ushered into the hyper-dimensionality of the very place of God. And the further along we follow, the more the Spirit prepares us for this eventuality. The hope gets stronger and stranger.”
Today’s question: How do you envision Jesus swallowing you up into His glory? Please share.
Coming Monday: the new Short Meditation, “Patience is more than endurance”
Tomorrow’s blog: “Beholding a vision of the glorious Christ”
