The weather here in Fayetteville has been absolutely gorgeous this week. Sunny. Mid-70’s. Light breezes. April and October are probably the best months to live here. Actually, I’d have to give the nod to October for two reasons. October has football. April has pollen. Still, April is great.

Sometimes though, beautiful weather and pleasant circumstances can have an adverse effect. When the sun is shining, the bills are paid and everyone is healthy, I tend to lose sight of the unseen. My soul feels content with life as it is.

I was about to say, “but I’m not made for this life.” I don’t think that’s entirely true though. I was made for this life.

God gave me a physical body to live in and relate to this physical world. He gave me five senses, so I could see, hear, smell, taste and touch. He gave me a wife to love and be loved by. He gave me children to nurture and enjoy. And He gave me work to do.

For the past few weeks, I’ve been leading a Bible study about heaven, so I’ve been thinking a lot about it. Randy Alcorn’s book, Heaven, has been a great resource. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it.

So what do sunny days, physical bodies and heaven have to do with each other?

Everything.

Before they were deceived by Satan and sin entered the picture, Adam and Eve walked with God in the garden. They had physical bodies designed to enjoy the world God had created for them. They ate delicious food. They felt the warmth of the sun. They enjoyed each other. They experienced intimacy with God. All on this earth.

That was God’s original design. We were to live with Him on earth. God did not simply create us as spiritual beings that would live only in a spiritual realm.

We will have bodies in heaven. And heaven will be on earth. The earth will one day be made new and God will restore things to the way they were supposed to be. The idea that we’ll be disembodied spirits and float around in the clouds is false. And honestly, a really boring thought.

If that’s a new idea to you, then I encourage you to read Randy’s book and study Revelation 21 and 22 for yourself.

Here’s the thing to remember–the very best this life and this world have to offer are simply a very small taste of what’s to come. The best vacation, the best day at work, the best meal you’ve ever eaten, the most beautiful sunset you’ve ever seen, the greatest sex* you’ve ever experienced, the most moving song you’ve ever listened to, the most intimate relationship you’ve ever shared…are all just glimpses of what’s to come.

Whenever you experience the best this life can offer–let it remind you that heaven will be better. Far better. Better than you can even imagine. Whatever you can imagine–the reality will be better. God Himself is preparing heaven for us. There’s no way we can out-imagine an infinite, loving, perfectly good, amazingly creative God.

*(Just so there’s no confusion–Jesus taught that there won’t be marriage in heaven. I take that to mean there also won’t be sex in heaven. But if what we experience in this life is just a taste, a foreshadowing of what life will be like in heaven, then I think we can anticipate something even better than sex.)