Isn’t Heaven Like Club Med?

On Friday I posted about work not being romantic. I’m not privy to a continual euphoria as I perform my daily tasks. Work is work, and it usually rolls into some semblance of monotonous repetition. That is part of the challenge of working—perseverance. But the eternal reward is great! Today, I would like to take it a bit further. I want to discuss work and responsibility as it relates to our eternity.

Isn’t Heaven an Eternal Club Med?

I originally thought heaven was set up like a huge, eternal Club Med free from work. You know, I put in my time here on earth and then I get to eternally retire with Jesus. Cloud floating, harp playing, wing wearing, eternal happiness – a place with no pain, no tears, no sweat and no stress. Salvation was like the retirement plan to beat all retirement plans. You do well here, paying your dues, and then you eternally rest and relax with God. Ahhh, now I get to enjoy my eternal golden parachute.  What I’ve since learned is that this is false.

Heaven for the Talent Servants

Scripture doesn’t support my erroneous, pre-salvation beliefs, quite the contrary. In heaven, the Bible says, I have more responsibility not less. This is evident in Jesus’ descriptions. Look at the parable of the talents for example:

“The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’
Matthew 25:23 NLT

The master gave the faithful more responsibility not less. Those who received less were the unfaithful, who were bound hand and foot to go weep and gnash their teeth in darkness. Ouch! I think I will go the “more responsibility” route.

Our graduation into the eternal gives us the right to bear more responsibility. No, it isn’t an obligation where I have to now function in my own strength. Why would my entire earthly training be to lean on His Life, only to enter heaven and have it be about mine? But the faithful are given charge to reign and rule in Christ’s Kingdom.

WHat is Heaven Like?

Sure, the heavenly Club Med sells salvation well enough, but it also sets my heart up for delusion. If I am looking for my eternal retirement plan to pay off, it will spill over into my earthly life. I will erroneously believe this life is about ME, for ME and to serve ME. This is just false. The faithful aren’t hirelings but sons with the Father in mind. A hireling is the one who serves for selfish gain…with only their end in mind. This is not the faithful who invest.

The entire premise of a carefree eternity stems from a hireling’s heart. And as I’ve come into sonship with our great Father, these beliefs have fallen aside. I have left my childish ways and matured as a son, and I have also seen my responsibility in being His son. The focus of the son is to join the Father.

Work and responsibility are just burdens for the employee. They’re means to a more important end. The issue at stake here is the heart. To disciples and sons, Christ spoke of responsibility and work. There was no lazy river in their sights but rather the taking up of the charge being laid at their door. Eternity is about joining with Christ in the service of the Father, not being relieved of our responsibilities forever more.

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Rev. 20:6 KJV

* Though the message titled Labor of Love available at Living Christian Books isn’t specifically about Heaven, it is an amazing message about work and responsibility that I think would really bless you.