What does heaven look like? No, I don’t mean the jasper and the gold and eternal light and that stuff. I guess what I’m asking is, what does heaven feel like?
I think God apportioned out a divine slice for me on Sunday night. Sunday night I was gathered with brothers and sisters from all over North Texas to worship and it felt so good. It felt like what I imagine Heaven will be. It was a beautiful sight to see people of all Shades and Shapes and Sizes gathered together with one goal in mind. Not just one goal in mind, but the highest and worthiest goal in mind; to give glory and honor to God. It was wonderful to experience a gathering of people who wanted nothing more than to bless the name of Jesus, proclaim the power of the Holy Spirit and shout for joy to a living God. It was beautiful not because of what we did or what we came to bring. It was beautiful because of what God did and what he left us with. From the very beginning it was the work of God through the blood of Christ and His Spirit to gather His children together into one place with one purpose to worship Him. You know, a little like Heaven.
This night was just a little slice of heaven. In a word it was…”perfect”. Oh, there were a ton of missed notes. Sound check didn’t go entirely well which left me feeling a bit uneasy and all the people who were scheduled to participate didn’t all make it. But there were also adults and children rocking and swaying, clapping and singing and raising there hands. It was so exciting to watch the children worshiping, jumping, dancing and laughing and take my word or not, not a single pew was broken in the process. It was remarkable. The room was filled with all of these genuine expressions of worship. We were gathered together to express our religious devotion to our God. In this place of freedom and worship there was only one rule.
The Spirit’s Rule
It was a beautiful thing to see a room full of people free to worship God under the rule of the Holy Spirit. It was an amazing moment to feel the palpable presence of God upon and in His people. As we sang to one another and heard Holy words through music, there was something in the air that freed us of all the baggage that we carry and the baggage that we impose on others. There were no men in this assembly and no women either. There was no black, red, yellow or white person in this time of worship. There were no elderly persons or youth in this gathering. No Republicans were present and you couldn’t find a Libertarian or Democrat either. We stopped being all these other things and we were simply Children of God gathered to worship God. I thank God that the only people who showed were Sinners who were made to be Saints by the love of God.
For a brief moment things were on earth as they are in Heaven; where God is the object of all attention and how He defines us by His love was the only definition that ruled. That night I experienced the Spirit’s ruling influence in the lives of God’s people when we come together to worship. All of the troubles and issues of the day just faded away. All of our definitions that encumber our fellowship simply melted away. And the only thing that remained is the most supreme substance that we will ever need…The Love of God. Isn’t this what makes us worship?
When we come together we come not to be judged, not to be suppressed but to express our endless and undying love to the One who first loved us. When we come together we come not to label or libel, not to define but to be redefined by the One who made us. When we come together we simply want to know and be known for who we really are – Children of God who are continuously in need of love from God. We enter into a time of worship empty handed, leaving everything else behind and going home with the only thing we really need – affirmation of God’s love, confirmation of His abiding presence, power from the Holy Spirit and a little slice of Heaven.
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