C.S. Lewis said something to the effect of, “Joy is the serious business of Heaven.”
There is a perspective of the world that is, dare I say it, often adopted by Christians that bogs down one’s vision of God, suggesting that He is about serious business only and nothing else is worthy of His attention. From this lens I cannot make heads or tails of Heaven, thinking it a rather pointless end of the adventure, a place somewhat out of character with God’s expression to humanity while on Earth? After all, isn’t He the LORD of Hosts or Lord of Armies? Is Heaven the place that better reflects His Character, or isn’t it Earth, that “real” battle-ground that has so consumed The Father’s passion and led to no-nonsense actions and stern judgments?

When I think about all of it from a Heavenly perspective, or as much as I can now muster, I begin to see Eternity differently. I no longer see it as the place of rest from our troubles, a place to recount the war stories from the good old days. I see Heaven as the Reality of which we on Earth get fleeting, intermittent glimpses. Glimpses which alone are enough to make us love our sorry lot in this place. I think our main battle is getting ourselves, and others, to see that joyful reality, Heaven.