在我还小的时候，天堂听起来并不是一个好玩的地方。在教会里，我们唱到无数的圣徒在玻璃海旁边永远不住颂赞神(启示录 4-5)，然而这不就像永远不会结束的少年诗班练习那样可怕吗？但当时我没有胆量讲出来。对我来说，星期天我最喜爱的事，就是脱去我上教会穿的裙子，然后到外面玩耍。
现在，我对天堂有截然不同的看法。圣经教导我们，天堂将会降临在地上，启示录第21章描述，新耶路撒冷从天而降，向人宣告一个荣耀的真理，就是神将会永远与我们一同居住。那时不再有眼泪、哭号，或疼痛。因此，神的子民的光景将会大大不同了，真是感谢神啊。
然而我也相信，到那时，有些今日世上的事物，是会永远延续下去的。这个世界的美丽，和人世间一切美善、正直、可爱的事物将会保持不变。就是说，今日当你摆好姿势，拿着棒球棍准备狠狠击打投向你的棒球，感受到脚下的湿草——这种感受将来仍会存在；紫丁香的芬芳仍然是那么令人陶醉；深红色的北美红雀仍然令我们兴奋；拥抱所爱的人仍然能带给我们喜乐。这一切都会实现，因为神是以大能的爱创造这个世界的，祂也同样会用这大能的爱来更新它。基督的死和复活，显明神有深切的愿望和计划，准备重建我们和重建祂的创造——臻至完美！
这就是我们的未来和我们的盼望！这就是我们今天感谢的因由，因为我们将永远与神同在！
神啊，为着我们的未来和我们盼望，我们全心全意感谢祢！奉耶稣的名祷告，阿们。
启示录 21:1-5
1我又看见一个新天新地；因为先前的天地已经过去了，海也不再有了。
2我又看见圣城新耶路撒冷由神那里从天而降，预备好了，就如新妇妆饰整齐，等候丈夫。
3我听见有大声音从宝座出来说：“看哪，神的帐幕在人间。他要与人同住，他们要作他的子民。神要亲自与他们同在，作他们的神。
4神要擦去他们一切的眼泪；不再有死亡，也不再有悲哀、哭号、疼痛，因为以前的事都过去了。”
5坐宝座的说：“看哪，我将一切都更新了！”又说：“你要写上；因这些话是可信的，是真实的。”
"I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them.'" — Revelation 21:3
When I was child, heaven didn’t sound like much fun. In church we sang about myriads of saints by the sea of crystal giving eternal praise to God (Revelation 4-5). I didn’t dare declare my dread of something like a never-ending junior choir practice. One of the best parts of Sunday for me was to change out of the dress I had to wear and go outside to play.
I think about heaven differently now. The Bible teaches that heaven will come to earth. Revelation 21 pictures the New Jerusalem descending and proclaims the glorious truth that God will dwell forever here with us. There will be no more tears, crying, or pain. In that way, thank God, things will be very different for God’s people.
But I believe there will also be some eternal continuity with our present world. The beauty of the earth and all that is good and right and lovely about our earthly lives will remain. So the feel of damp grass underfoot as your poised bat waits to clobber a barreling baseball will still delight. The smell of lilacs will still intoxicate. The crimson cardinal will still thrill. The embrace of a loved one will still bring joy. All of this is true because God created this world in powerful love, and in that same powerful love God will renew it. Christ’s death and resurrection demonstrate God’s deep desire and aim to restore us and creation to fullness.
That’s our future and our hope! That’s our reason for gratitude—life forever with God!
Thank you, God, with all our hearts. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
