YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE!

YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE!

And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” —Luke 23:43

What pictures come to your mind when you think of paradise?  A scenic ocean island in warm climates where the temperature is perfect, no conflict and everything you want is there?  Paradise will be different from a worldly perspective.  It would be described according to what a person finds pleasurable.

             Paradise was pleasurable and will be so when we get there.  Heaven will be a paradise and so much better than anything we can imagine.  “However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love him” (I Corinthians 2:9). The Apostle Paul was caught up into heaven/paradise and saw things that he was not permitted to tell.  But we do know that this is a place of comfort (Luke 16:25), no tears, no death, no mourning, no crying, no pain and that the old order of things will no longer exist (Revelation 21:4) —Paradise!

            Now just think of that!  Think of all the tears that have been ever shed on earth for whatever reason.  That is a lot of pain, conflict and sorrow.  None of that will exist in Paradise!  There will be no more crying!  Think of all the tears that have been shed because of death.  So many people (presently 150,000/day) have died through the ages with the tears and grief that follows.  There will be no more of that in Paradise!  No more tears at a tomb, no more grief at a grave… none!

            Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.  My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:1-3). 

Jesus is preparing a place for us.  What a joy.  Think of the Garden of Eden.  God had just created everything and He pronounced it “very good” (Genesis 1:31).  The trees there were both pleasing to the eye and good for good (2:9).  Work in the garden was always pleasant.

            Yes, Jesus told the one crucified with Him that called on His Name— “Today you will be with me in Paradise.”  Brother and sister… one day we will be with Jesus in Paradise!  That is our destiny, but there are others around us that need to hear the gospel that they too can believe and be headed to Paradise as well and not Hell.  May we tell them!

Dear Father I so look forward to the joy of Heaven with Jesus and all who love Him.  Yes, even so come Lord Jesus.  May I live faithfully for You until I see You face to face.  May this be so in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus.