1560)  MercyMe sings a song, I Can Only Imagine, which I’m sure many of you have heard. In the song, the singer wonders what it will be like to be with Jesus in heaven forever. He ponders what his reaction will be when he arrives and what he’ll do. It’s a beautiful song.

When I read about the next life in the Bible, my imagination runs wild to an extent but as I read verses like Revelation 21:4, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death, sorrow, crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” I can’t imagine it.

Here in this life, the experience of love also means there is pain. A wave of hope can be followed by despair. Our joy we sometimes feel is inseparable from our experiences of sorrow. I can’t imagine a world which operates as John tells us heaven will be like in the book of Revelation.

Does my lack of ability to use my imagination mean I lack faith? No! It just means I am tuned into the way we exist in this world and my faith steps in and says, I believe you anyway, Lord.

Whether or not we can imagine the next world is an interesting topic but if you have not asked God to forgive you for all you’ve done wrong; asked him to accept Jesus’ life for yours, you certainly can’t imagine what the next life will be like without Jesus.

Don’t imagine! Know!