Have you ever daydreamed about a perfect life? I suppose most of us have. Enough that mountains of money have been saved so that at retirement couples could live the life they have always dreamed of. Are they really happy? I have this theory: if you cannot be happy living a normal everyday life no matter what your circumstances, you will never be happy living your idea of a perfect life either.
Take a minute now and jot down your idea of a perfect life. Be as specific as possible. Since you are just wishing anyway, you might as well make it good.
Now think about this. As our Creator, God knows what would make us happy. Too often we treat living by His standards as living a miserable existence with no fun allowed at all. But when you think about it, He should know best, shouldn’t He? In fact, when He made man, He created a perfect place, a perfect life, a perfect home. Take a look at the Garden of Eden. What did He give His newly created children?
He gave them a beautiful garden that furnished their food and delighted their eyes. I doubt they had truffles, either vegetable or chocolate. I know they did not have pate de fois gras or chateaubriand. But they had plenty, and it was certainly organic! Gen 1:29
He gave them each other. Not one man with a different woman every night, or one woman with several men. He did not make two men or two women, but one man for one woman for one lifetime, 2:24.
He gave them work to do. What?! A perfect place meant having to work? Exactly. Not an all consuming career, but productive work tending the garden that fed them. Not difficult work, as was promised after the fall, but something that fulfilled man’s need to pass the time and stay physically fit, 2:15.
I assume He gave them some sort of house, but do you realize it is never mentioned in Genesis? Evidently God’s notion of paradise for man did not include having a dream house that cost more in taxes and upkeep in a year than most third world families make in a lifetime.
And best of all, He gave them His fellowship. It seems to have been His habit to walk and talk with His children in the cool of the day, 3:8.
Now look at your list. Does it match God’s list at all? Maybe we need to adjust our thinking—seems to me I have to do a lot of that. I have another theory: if my list is not a whole lot like God’s, maybe I won’t enjoy Heaven either. Maybe I won’t even be allowed to find out.
For he who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile; and let him turn away from evil and do good. Let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears unto their supplication. But the face of the Lord is upon them that do evil. 1 Pet 3:10-12
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God. Rev 2:7
Dene Ward
Take a minute now and jot down your idea of a perfect life. Be as specific as possible. Since you are just wishing anyway, you might as well make it good.
Now think about this. As our Creator, God knows what would make us happy. Too often we treat living by His standards as living a miserable existence with no fun allowed at all. But when you think about it, He should know best, shouldn’t He? In fact, when He made man, He created a perfect place, a perfect life, a perfect home. Take a look at the Garden of Eden. What did He give His newly created children?
He gave them a beautiful garden that furnished their food and delighted their eyes. I doubt they had truffles, either vegetable or chocolate. I know they did not have pate de fois gras or chateaubriand. But they had plenty, and it was certainly organic! Gen 1:29
He gave them each other. Not one man with a different woman every night, or one woman with several men. He did not make two men or two women, but one man for one woman for one lifetime, 2:24.
He gave them work to do. What?! A perfect place meant having to work? Exactly. Not an all consuming career, but productive work tending the garden that fed them. Not difficult work, as was promised after the fall, but something that fulfilled man’s need to pass the time and stay physically fit, 2:15.
I assume He gave them some sort of house, but do you realize it is never mentioned in Genesis? Evidently God’s notion of paradise for man did not include having a dream house that cost more in taxes and upkeep in a year than most third world families make in a lifetime.
And best of all, He gave them His fellowship. It seems to have been His habit to walk and talk with His children in the cool of the day, 3:8.
Now look at your list. Does it match God’s list at all? Maybe we need to adjust our thinking—seems to me I have to do a lot of that. I have another theory: if my list is not a whole lot like God’s, maybe I won’t enjoy Heaven either. Maybe I won’t even be allowed to find out.
For he who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile; and let him turn away from evil and do good. Let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears unto their supplication. But the face of the Lord is upon them that do evil. 1 Pet 3:10-12
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God. Rev 2:7
Dene Ward
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