A Taste of Heaven | May 20th, 2021
It was a beautiful, sunny day. My husband and I took our time walking around the open-air market during their weekly “Market Day” in Nice, France. The display of neatly arranged, colorful fresh fruit immediately drew me in. It looked like something right out of heaven!
The good things on earth are sweet gifts from God, giving us a sample taste of what heaven will be like. Being able to travel to a fabulous destination is definitely one of those sweet gifts.
When visiting a different country or culture, it is especially thrilling to experience new flavors. Since the Bible tells us we will be eating in eternity (marriage supper of the Lamb), we can be assured we’ll be trying amazing flavors we didn’t even know existed! And everything will be mouthwateringly delicious. I often think about that when I bite into a piece of half-ripened fruit seriously lacking in flavor. It makes me long for the goodness awaiting my taste buds in heaven!
Beauty in nature seen while traveling is another taste of heaven. The magnificence of the mountains or a peaceful lake surrounded by tall pine trees feels like heaven on earth. But we may have to deal with air pollution or other people’s trash littering the ground, spoiling some of the natural beauty. In eternity, however, every inch of nature will declare the glory of God in it’s perfected form.
Rest and relaxation is perhaps the primary reason people choose to get away. There is nothing quite like lounging by the sea with a good book on a warm, tropical island or sitting next to a quiet stream in deep thought with a fishing pole. God desires for us to take breaks from the hustle and bustle of life so we can shine our light more brightly for Him.
As much as we yearn to rest and relax, we may have to face the stress of an emergency text from work, inclement weather, or too many other people around who had the same idea to get away for some peace and quiet. In heaven, we can be confident we will be able to rest without interruption in green meadows by still waters, surrounded by our Shepherd’s peace.
When we do feel well-rested and energetic after a great vacation, it’s another little taste of heaven. But it is very fleeting. Sickness and disease corrupt our bodies in this broken world, bringing pain and suffering. An elderly woman in my Sit and Get Fit class needs help each day to get from her wheelchair to the exercise chair. As I assist to steady her, she groans in agony, communicating how painful it is to simply take a few steps. There are many who struggle with pain and so much more in this life.
One of the best gifts in store for anyone who has put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior is a new, glorified body completely free of all pain. And there are so many more good things awaiting us in heaven from our loving God who has been preparing the most magnificent, eternal dwelling place for us.
Sample tastes of heaven on earth only increase our craving for something far better…exactly how God designed it so we could easily detach from this imperfect place where even the vacation of a lifetime creates a longing for the very best that is yet to come!
But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— 1 Corinthians 2:9
Kimberly Moore is a blogger, speaker, and author of Beauty in a Life Repurposed and Kingdom Sparkle. To learn more, visit her website at kingdomsparkle.com.
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