Sometimes classical music describes heaven better than words. Faure’s Pavane, Beethoven’s 5th Piano Concerto, Mozart’s clarinet concerto, the list goes on and on. There is something in the eternal depth of the relationships that we will experience, the striking and fantastic adventures, the discovery of new worlds and aspects of creation – all these and many other eternal themes are better described by music than anything else.

I’ve listened long to the news yesterday and today, saddened by the pain and suffering and fear inflicted on so many in Japan. I’ve come to God about it.

Of course His judgements are past finding out (Romans 11:33). We can speculate all we like about the Apocalypse now or God’s judgements on a godless people but in the end we are only seeing the edges of His ways on the earth. Oh, Lord, in wrath remember mercy!

But Heaven, ah, that’s the place. We are probably all going to die (or go to sleep as the bible puts it for believers).  Maybe it won’t be in some catastrophe like in Japan or maybe it will.  Are we afraid of nuclear disastors?  Nations in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea… (Luke 21:25).

It is always a good thing to remember what is coming afterwards.

If you know the good news you know why you don’t need to be afraid and why you are going to heaven.  As a check on your salvation though ask yourself a question:  As a created, reasoning entity – could you be trusted in heaven?  This is another way of asking whether you are really going on with God.  Without holiness none of us will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).

As we see these things happening we know that the kingdom of God is near (Luke 21:31).  Let’s be ready and encourage one another to be a living active part of it.