Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.  Matthew 6:10

Jesus used this statement in the model prayer.  It is part of the pattern He used to teach us to pray.  It’s been prayed for centuries.  There’s some assumptions in that pattern we are blessed to unpack.

First, Heaven is a busy place…the will of God is the motivation for all the action.  Jesus modeled that in His life.  He did only what the Father said and did.  He said He could do nothing on His own.

Then, that the will of God is…or can be known…is another implication of this verse.   I attend a church that exhorts us to ‘look into heaven, find out what God says about whatever you are facing and go do it.’

In a recent class, a profound question was asked:

What can I expect to see when I look in heaven?

Well, that is just too fun of a place to camp!  I couldn’t resist digging into it and share

some thoughts–and hopefully get some of yours to enjoy as well.  So, let’s go!

The physical attributes of heaven are not where my mind naturally goes.  Pat Marvenko Smith is an incredible artist who digs deep into Scripture and paints directly from the Word.  I love her stuff and have shared a glimpse to the right.  Take some time and visit her website for that angle: Revelation Illustrated.  You will enjoy it!

For me, that question sends my heart on a quest to find what is in heaven that will help me live out the Father’s will here.

“Only one life, it will soon be passed. 

Only what’s done for Jesus will last.”

is part of what drives me to seek to see heaven.  The other pressure that makes my heart cry for heavenly vision is the weight of seeing individuals broken and maimed from life.  I know Jesus is always the answer…but I can’t always see HOW He is the answer.  Pressing in to see heaven opens vistas of hope for me–and for me to share.

I believe God longs for us to press in to heaven.  He wants us to ask hard questions–He wants us to know His heart.  A verse in Micah (and quoted in other locations) outlines what I find in heaven.  I find His ways, His heart and His glory.  I love looking into heaven!

He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God.

Micah 6:8

To do justice is to know–and render into this world–the verdicts God has already declared.  It reminds me of the verses in Matthew that say bind (and loose) what is already bound (or loosed) in heaven.  We only see in Heaven what God has revealed in the Word.  Being diligent students of the Holy Bible is a vital need for any who long to peer into heaven.

To love kindness goes a step beyond simply knowing the Word.  The Pharisees knew the Law but they didn’t understand the heart of love inherent in every word.  There are a lot of Pharisees today, too.  Being touched personally by the Word is another vital need for those who want to see into heaven.  The personal application of the Law — knowing that the Word is said to ME and knowing that I fall so short — leads me to LOVE kindness.  My desperate need for the kindness of God comes into start view when I spend time looking to Him.

And when I know how God works and what He is like, walking humbly is all I can do.  He is God and I am not!  Spending time peering into heaven makes that so abundantly clear.  Walking out what He shows me when I am in heaven completes what God requires of me.  I am not to be a Dead Sea that receives without giving!

So, what do I find when I look into heaven?

I find a righteous and holy God who created everything from His wisdom and love.  I find a God who allows suffering because it is the most merciful act available in some cases.  I find a God unafraid of establishing–and maintaining boundaries.  I find a God who loves me more than I love myself…who loves the ones I love with greater faithfulness and wisdom than I love.  When I look into heaven, I find the answers to the hurts in my heart–and the harm I see done in the world.  And I find the courage to share what I find with others.

I could go on and on…and so can you.  There are eternal treasures in heaven…some are yours to find and share.  Some are mine to find and share.  They are the inheritance Jesus came to give to those who would believe in Him.  They are our shared riches.  What has He been showing you?!