I remember being fascinated by an old copy of Dante's "Divine Comedy" as a teen. The etching of Dante's visions of Purgatory and Hell were rich in detail. Heaven? Not so much. Heaven was boring. But I think the problem is a lack of the imagination. We think of Heaven with an earthly mindset.
It's like the Buddhist story. When asked about Nirvana, the Buddha said that trying to describe Nirvana to those who had not attained Nirvana would be like a frog returning to the pond to describe air and land to tadpoles. He could only describe it in negatives. Land is not wet, no you cannot swim in it, etc. he could not explain what it was.
It's hard not to fear, hard to trust that all things will work to the good when we look at our lives in earthly terms. It is only when we accept the reality of Heaven that fears melt away.
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"...when we look at our lives in earthly terms." Bam! You nailed it. The only perspective that inclines us to peace is the eternal perspective.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, all of us suffer from "a lack of imagination" when it comes to picturing the joys of heaven. It's like trying to imagine a totally new color. (Go ahead and try that, by the way, it's fun.;-)
I've actually tried that many times...although I'm not so sure I should willingly admit it ;).
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