I’m confident of heaven. But I have a different view of heaven than many people do. I’m not sure I believe in a big cloud where we float around with wings and halos and harps. Talking Heads had a song where they sang, “Heaven is a place where nothing ever happens.”

There is a party, everyone is there
Everyone will leave at exactly the same time
When this party’s over, it will start again
It will not be any different, it will be exactly the same
Heaven, heaven is a place
A place where nothing, nothing ever happens

I’d go nuts!

I think “heaven” is not the same as “the hereafter.” Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you,” and “In my Father’s house are many mansions.” So I’m pretty firm that there is a hereafter, a restoration of the world, and life after death.

But Jesus had a knack of honing in on the here and now. As He walked and talked, He was interested in displaying the kingdom of God on this earth. He said, “The kingdom of God is within you.” I’m starting to believe that heaven is a way of being with God, living in relationship with God and others, and being at peace with ourselves.

Heaven is experiencing God, in the here and now, on this earth. Hell is being separated from God, in the here and now, on this earth. Swimming in a pool that we’ve already peed in.

So yeah, I’m confident in the hereafter. And it’s up to all of us to experience heaven now.

Image from cheapskateintellectual.wordpress.com

And like Will Rogers said, if there are no dogs in “heaven,” then I want to go to the other place.