"What is paradise to you?"
That was a text I received this past weekend from a former youth group kid.
I thought about the question for a while. What exactly IS paradise? I remember writing a story about it recently. Maybe I should go back and read it. Lol!
If you Google pictures of 'paradise' you get a lot of images from tropical islands. That's what Google thinks paradise is.
There is an after-life place, that Jesus called 'paradise, ' where the righteous and unrighteous go to await their entry into heaven, or hell. That's the REAL paradise.
"Today you will be with me in paradise." - Luke 23:43
For some, paradise is whatever WE think sounds good to us.
Some people might think that paradise is playing golf, or relaxing on a beach. Some anticipate a reunion with friends or family members. I guess it all depends on you.
Paradise for the Christian however seems to be focused on God, not on self.
Hope is a wonderful thing. Hope is what keeps us waking up in the morning. We hope for good weather, we hope our sore back will feel better soon.
Shouldn't our hope be in Jesus? Shouldn't paradise be about God rather than ourselves?
"Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.
For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
Therefore encourage one another with these words." - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
Therefore encourage one another with these words." - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Paradise is being in the presence of our Lord. I don't think any personal scenario based on OUR desires is as important as worshipping 'in spirit and truth,' along with our brothers and sisters in Christ, forever. But that's just me.
What do YOU think?
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