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Heaven Should Be Like Disneyland
I know that Southern Baptists right now are hyperventilating as they see Bambi as some underlying message condoning gay marriage and abortion, but take the grape juice out of your grocery bag and breathe deep in it. Now read on and you'll get my point.
My in laws went to Disneyland last week and invited my 6 year old son to go with them. My son has been to Disney World and absolutely loved it. He knows the fun he would have and knows most of what he would find there. We told him that he could go to see Mickey for a whole week with his grandparents and his cousins. He was very excited and thought there was no reason why he wouldn't go. Then we told him, "Mommy and Daddy won't be there though. You will be just going with your grandparents and cousins." He immediately said, "I don't want to go then."
Although Caleb knew how fun it would, how many things he would thoroughly enjoy, he didn't want to go if we weren't there. This is a very independent 6 year old who was very excited to go to Disneyland. He loves his grandparents and he loves being with his cousins, but the second he found out that we weren't going, his mood changed, and he simply said, "no thanks." He wants to be where we are, not where the gifts and "fun" are. Caleb wasn't disappointed in any way, but simply wanted to be wherever his parents were, not where many people would consider to be "heaven on earth."
I know that illustrations are never perfect and this one is no different. But, the question comes that are we more like the world that just wants the gifts of God, or do we want God himself? Do we want all the other stuff that heaven promises, or do we want to simply be where Christ is? John Piper asks this question in his book "God is the Gospel" and my son gave me a great picture of what Piper is trying to convey:
The critical question for our generation—and for every generation—is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ were not there?
John Piper, God is the Gospel
Where do we put our excitement and hope for our eternity? We must look forward to being with our God, not what he is going to give us. He is ultimate.
For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit
1 Peter 3:18
My in laws went to Disneyland last week and invited my 6 year old son to go with them. My son has been to Disney World and absolutely loved it. He knows the fun he would have and knows most of what he would find there. We told him that he could go to see Mickey for a whole week with his grandparents and his cousins. He was very excited and thought there was no reason why he wouldn't go. Then we told him, "Mommy and Daddy won't be there though. You will be just going with your grandparents and cousins." He immediately said, "I don't want to go then."
Although Caleb knew how fun it would, how many things he would thoroughly enjoy, he didn't want to go if we weren't there. This is a very independent 6 year old who was very excited to go to Disneyland. He loves his grandparents and he loves being with his cousins, but the second he found out that we weren't going, his mood changed, and he simply said, "no thanks." He wants to be where we are, not where the gifts and "fun" are. Caleb wasn't disappointed in any way, but simply wanted to be wherever his parents were, not where many people would consider to be "heaven on earth."
I know that illustrations are never perfect and this one is no different. But, the question comes that are we more like the world that just wants the gifts of God, or do we want God himself? Do we want all the other stuff that heaven promises, or do we want to simply be where Christ is? John Piper asks this question in his book "God is the Gospel" and my son gave me a great picture of what Piper is trying to convey:
The critical question for our generation—and for every generation—is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ were not there?
John Piper, God is the Gospel
Where do we put our excitement and hope for our eternity? We must look forward to being with our God, not what he is going to give us. He is ultimate.
For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit
1 Peter 3:18
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