“There is no good in this life but what is mingled with some evil; honours perplex, riches disquiet, and pleasures ruin health. But in heaven we shall find blessings in their purity, without any ingredient to embitter, with everything to sweeten them. O! who is able to conceive the inexpressible, inconceivable joys that are there? None but they who have tasted of them. Lord, help us to put such a value upon them here, that in order to prepare ourselves for them, we may be willing to forego the loss of all those deluding pleasures here. How will the heavens echo of joy, when the Bride, the Lamb’s wife, shall come to dwell with her husband for ever? Christ is the desire of nations, the joy of angels, the delight of the Father; what solace then must that soul be filled with, that hath the possession of him to all eternity? O! what acclamations of joy will there be, when all the children of God shall meet together, without fear of being disturbed by the antichristian and Cainish brood! Is there not a time coming when the godly may ask the wicked what profit they have in their pleasure? what comfort in their greatness? and what fruits in all their labour? If you would be better satisfied what the beatifical vision means, my request is that you would live holily, and go and see.” – Bunyan, Vol. 1: Bunyan’s Dying Sayings, p. 66 (emphasis mine)
Luke is a pastor-theologian living in northern California, serving as a co-lead pastor with his life, Dawn, at the Red Bluff Vineyard. Father of five amazing kids, when Luke isn’t hanging with his family, reading or writing theology, he moonlights as a fly fishing guide for Confluence Outfitters. He blogs regularly at LukeGeraty.com and regularly contributes to his YouTube channel.
When Christ shall come,
With shouts of acclamation,
And take me home,
What joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow
In humble adoration
And there proclaim,
“My God, how great Thou art!”
Good word. How does a guy who goes from town to town selling pots and pans come up with words like this? It’s the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Lord, raise up some John Bunyans in your church today!
Awesome mental picture. Why is it, that when the majority of people see the cruxificion in front of, almost every church, that they don’t have visions of this? Instead they cling to mercy more so than holiness and the reality of His mercy is knew everyday. If not for idolatry maybe a picture of the return of Jesus with double edged sword or better yet the Book of Life opened up with names in it, painted on the wall in front for all to see.