Is it no wonder why we as believers spend so much time dreaming of our journey to heaven? Who wouldn’t enjoy a world where sin, pain, sorrow and death were absent? I know I certainly would.
[What, what would have become of me] had I not believed that I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living! – Psalms 27:13
The operative words in this particular verse are land of the living. Unlike our counterparts in heaven, we are a people who dwell in the land of the living. We are not dead, but alive. Listen to what King David is saying in this passage. He is essentially asking the question that we all must ask at some point in time on this faith journey. Where would I truly be if I didn’t believe that I would surely see the Lord’s goodness while I was still alive? God’s goodness—His blessings—aren’t only stored and prepared for us after we get to heaven. His blessings—promises for abundant life—are prepared for us right now in our present.
I am not convinced that we are consigned to wading through life with only heaven to look forward too. I am not persuaded that joy, peace of mind and abundant living are only accessible in heaven. Despite the fact that many faiths like the Baha’i and Islam, believe in an after-life destination like heaven, I know that God’s treasures and blessings are accessible here on earth.
I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it
in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). – John 10:10
What a powerful statement. God is making a proclamation about what treasures or blessings we can expect here on earth. We CAN have a life. We CAN enjoy life to its fullest. No matter what God’s fullest looks like in your life, you CAN enjoy it here on earth, in the land of the living. The decision is yours. You can experience God’s joy in your life in the every day, mundane experiences you encounter. You can exercise your faith by trusting in God—by expecting to see and experience His goodness—His faithfulness—in your situation.