The Hope of Heaven: Purposeful and Meaningful Work

by David Chadwick

Today, we conclude our two-week study on heaven. The hope and majesty of this eternal reality is made known to anyone who puts his or her faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

Work is important to the Lord. Colossians 3:23 says, "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men." 2 Thessalonians 3:10b says, "If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat." From the beginning of time, and even after the Fall, God has designed his children to work hard.

Work here on earth can certainly be wonderful. It feels good to accomplish a task. Whereas Satan has taken God's intention for labor and made it arduous, exhausting, and destructive, God's original design was for work to be a good gift.

Did you know that there will also be purposeful and meaningful work in heaven for us all? Isaiah 65 talks about how in the new heavens and the new earth, joy and gladness will be everywhere. Verse 21 says, "They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit." Clearly work will continue in heaven.

The difference between work in heaven and work on earth will be the absence of thorns and thistles that make work toilsome and hard. What came as a curse to make work hard here simply won't exist in heaven.

As Jesus walked this earth, he implied that those who do a good job overseeing his possessions here will be given an even larger responsibility in heaven. He even suggested in Luke 19 that we will help oversee cities in heaven! Isn't that interesting to think that there will be cities in heaven, stretched throughout his universe?

There will be continued creativity, hard work, and a sense of lasting accomplishment as we joyfully serve and worship the Lord and sit under his eternal oversight. All that we enjoy here will be eternally enjoyed in heaven.

Cling to the hope of heaven! Jesus is coming back soon!