Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead... -- I Peter 1:3 (KJV)
Science and space exploration have introduced a certain skepticism into the Biblical cosmology. Once upon a time, before the Renaissance, everyone knew heaven was up, hell was down, and we were somewhere in between. Along came Isaac Newton and the physics of gravity and suddenly space was full of "stuff" and rational people began to wonder -- where has heaven gone?
Easter is the celebration of restored hope. Heaven has always been a limited figurative form of speech to talk about an inexpressible hope in the eternal life. Faith and hope are linked powerfully. We have faith in eternal life through the witness and instruction of Jesus Christ, and through faith comes the hope in a far better tomorrow. Christ's resurrection appearances confirmed the hope within us.
Heaven's hope is in the divine/human Jesus. Heaven is present in a different dimension from time and space; it is in a location our minds struggle to take us to, yet spirits fly toward at death to join the communion of saints there in eternity. It is very very near, and with quiet devotion and meditation you can sense its nearness. Keep trying. Faith will one day win over all skepticism. "If you don't believe today, you will someday," is the only guarantee Christians need hold. Trust God's abundant mercy to show you the way.
Prayer:
Lord, I believe. Help Thou my unbelief. Rescue me from doubt. Instill me with hope and faith. Joined to Christ this is my prayer in His name. Amen.
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