Heavenly Ties, Heavenly Love

Photo by Stacey Koenitz on Unsplash.

We shall be deeply interested in one another, as real brothers and friends should be. And so, there will be a real family bond between us—an all-for-one and one-for-all attitude. We will possess that all-embracing love that includes everyone and excludes no one. It will be founded in God and never waver or lessen for all eternity.

Jesus gave us a glimpse into this family bond in heaven when he answered the question of the Sadducees, who asked him about the woman with seven husbands. According to their all too human way of reasoning, the poor woman was going to have a problem in heaven. Jesus looked at them sadly and answered, Is not the reason why you go wrong, that you understand neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? For, when they rise from the dead, men and women do not marry; no, they are like the angels in heaven. In heaven, we shall be like the angels, not by nature but by our total love for God and one another. On earth we had friends, parents, and relatives who were interdependent upon one another for love and support. But in heaven our happiness is dependent only upon God, and though we will know and love our dear ones in heaven, our family ties will be enlarged to include everyone.

Jesus told a crowd one day that anyone who did the will of his Father in heaven was his brother, sister, and mother. If this is true of Jesus, it is also true of us. We will be everything to everyone, with a feeling of be longing to one another. There will be no prejudice to mar the happiness of our family life in heaven, no social barriers to overcome, no feuds or jealousy to endure. Because we will all be one heart and one soul in God, we shall enjoy the most perfect cordial affection for everyone, and each one there will be as a brother, sister, mother, husband, and wife to everyone. The time of testing will be over, and we shall reap the fruits of virtue for all eternity.