Heaven on Earth

There’s an old story about a young woman about to get married. She is sitting with her mother and says, “I can’t marry him, Mother. He’s an atheist and he doesn’t believe there is a hell.” Her mother replied, “That’s all right, dear. Marry him, and between the two of us, I’m sure we can convince him.”

Hell is not just a place people go when they die, is it? No, we can experience hell here on earth—when we feel lonely, worried, heartbroken, or stressed out.

On the other hand, I believe we experience a taste of heaven in community—around dinner tables or other places where we share deeply with others: with family, friends, and even strangers. We all have an inner need to be heard, known, and loved.

This is exactly why my 20-year-old daughter talks on the phone with her friends for hours. And when she hangs up, she starts instant messaging them. It’s why places like coffee shops and corner bars are so popular. It’s why we all need a friend. It’s why we crave someone to share our deepest joys and most profound heartaches with. When that is missing, we hurt even more.

Whenever people come together and feel connected, they begin to feel whole. Heaven, in this sense, is the antidote to hell.

My prayer for each of you today is that you would cultivate a healthy community in your own life. Make it a priority. Be willing to be vulnerable, challenged, loved, and known.

Let us pray:  Loving God, we remember today that you created us for community. Give us the grace and courage we need to invest ourselves in the lives of others—for we remember that it is always in giving that we receive. Amen.