A Theological Fantasy - Continued
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—
- 1 Corinthians 2:9 -
Just in case you missed it,
CLICK HERE for the first installment of this series.
New Heavens; New Earth; New Body.
As I mentioned last time, I have a pretty serious problem.
How can I tell you an engaging story, how can I keep your attention, when my story contains absolutely no drama?
You see, I'm living in the New Heavens, and at the moment, I still reside on New Earth. My "problem" is that literally everything is wonderful. How do you write a story about that?
There are no failed romances to bemoan.
No lost loves.
I don't have a life-threatening illness to either recover or die from.
No one is going to attack or harm me or my loved ones, requiring me to seek justice.
Where's the excitement in that?
Did I mention that there are no failed romances?
Yes, Amy and I are romantically involved, and plan to spend a few years getting to know each other here at the beach and elsewhere. We both also expect to have many other romantic involvements as "time" goes on. But that's material for another story.
Life's a Beach
Image courtesy of Glen Jackson and http://unsplash.com
For now, I want to tell you about my new body.
I know that sounds rather narcissistic, but it's still all so very new to me!
Can I just start by saying I love it? I absolutely love my new body.
First I'll tell you what's missing.
My old body had features I really disliked.
Before I was ten years old, my eyes started going bad. That probably had something to do with being a bookworm. I couldn't get enough to read. There were never enough stories. The Hardy Boys, Tom Swift, Rick Brandt, Tom Corbett... all the youth adventure novel series that I loved and could rarely buy.
There were the comic books I couldn't afford, so I'd borrow them from friends. The library was a favorite haunt. Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov juvenile science fiction novels - "I, Robot" and the Lucky Starr series, "Have Spacesuit, Will Travel," "Rocketship Galileo," and "Time for the Stars."
I became myopic at an early age. That was fine for reading and for close, detailed work on things like electronics. It was the pits when I was outside. Glasses and contact lenses hampered me all my life.
In those days, I was partly blind.
Now I can see again!
I have my eyes back! Twenty-Fifteen vision in both eyes. I can focus on close work in near-microscopic detail. I can zoom out to see distant objects, and my visual acuity is so phenomenal that it's like having Superman's telescopic vision.
No more double-vision cataracts. No more trouble with bright backgrounds washing out dim foreground objects.
No more EYE FLOATERS!!! Hallelujah!
Everything is perfectly clear. What a gift!
The Electromagnetic Spectrum
Image by Philip Ronan via Wikimedia
Better yet,
I can now see colors and frequencies I'd never before experienced. Under conscious control, I can "tune in" everything from microwaves at the low end all the way up through X-rays at the high. Let me tell you, as a life-long geek, this is a real kick. And my eyes don't get tired any more. They feel completely at ease.
Let's talk teeth.
I spent countless hours and tens of thousands of dollars at the dentist, and eventually learned to just "grin and bear" the pain involved. My mouth was a train-wreck.
Now I have a full set of perfectly healthy teeth and gums. I can smile freely without a gap. My kisses all come with minty-fresh breath. There are no more artificial caps, fillings, bridges, or crowns anywhere to be found.
In other areas,
I no longer have a crick in my neck. My back doesn't crack, Jack, or get out of whack. I don't have to get up and pee in the middle of the night. All my scars are gone. The color has returned to both my hair and my cheeks. I don't get winded, or break out into a sweat at the slightest exertion. My feet don't hurt.
No more varicose veins. No pimples. I no longer sport a "spare tire;" it's been replaced by a six-pack. All the ladies find me borderline irresistible, and not just for my sparkling personality.
Everything is, once again just right.
How is my new body the same?
To begin with, it's a body, a real body. I'm not some disembodied spirit, floating around, haunting people. By and large, it's very much like the old body I remember living in all my life.
Eating and drinking continue to be the complete delight and pleasure they have always been. The wedding feast we all enjoyed upon our arrival here put all of history to shame. No one has ever seen such an amazing spread of culinary delights. I smelled, tasted, and enjoyed flavors and delicacies I'd never heard of nor seen before, dishes from all around the world.
I couldn't tell you how long it went on, but in a very real sense, that feast is still continuing. We're always welcome at the Father's table.
I'm truly, completely "comfortable in my skin." I feel like myself. At last count, I had the same number of hands, feet, fingers, toes, eyes, ears, etc. and everything's in the right place. Nothing's missing.
I know you're dying to ask, so go ahead...
Yes, I have all the traditional body parts, every last one of them. And all of them are in fine working order, thank you. In fact, they work better than they ever have since I was a teenager.
Without going into explicit detail, I'll say that everything is in top-notch working order, to my own full satisfaction as well as that of all of my beautiful friends. Absolutely no complaints from any quarter. I am more a man than I have ever been, and it is awesome.
That doesn't quite fit with your theology, you say? Something you heard in a sermon? Well, then, it's about time you adjusted your theology to fit the biblical reality... We'll come back to this topic later! ;)
Just another day at the beach...
Image courtesy of Ishan @seefromthesky and http://unsplash.com
How is my new body different?
I've already mentioned my extended vision capabilities.
I can now work and exercise without ever running out of steem, or ever needing to stop.
"...but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint."
- Isaiah 40:31
I can fly!
I've always wanted to fly. When God said "they shall mount up with wings like eagles" he was not blowing smoke! Just as his friends saw Jesus rise up from the earth and ascend into the heavens, I can now do the same.
As I often did in my dreams, I can now levitate and float up through the trees at will. I get to see the world from the viewpoint I've always wanted to enjoy. Let me tell you, it's a kick.
In fact, I can do all the weird and wonderful things that the risen Christ did.
I can disguise my true identity, not that I ever need to. I do it sometimes just for fun, playing a practical joke on, or just flat-out surprising an old friend. I can light up like the Sun, glorious light blazing out of every pore. (Eat your heart out, next time you're looking for those keys in the dark.)
And yes, as a matter of fact, I can walk on water. I can walk through walls. I can appear in the middle of a room. I can teleport across town if I want to. Usually, though, I just walk.
I have other "extended capabilities" as well.
My new body is equipped with TMI - Total Molecular Integrity. OK, sure, I just made that term up... but I'll tell you what it means.
Total Molecular Integrity means that, at need, every atom in my body, every cell, every organelle, can draw directly on the ubiquitous energy in the universe for its sustenance. Let me put that in plain English.
If I want to swim underwater for an extended period of time, my body's oxygen needs are sourced from my surroundings rather than from my lungs.
The last time I decided to visit the Moon, I didn't take a space suit. Every molecule in my body knows its place, and stays there regardless of variances in internal and external pressure.
Because this new body is imperishable, I not only can be, but I am utterly fearless. Nothing at all can harm me. I am indestructible.
Even were this body to be destroyed, the same eternal God who originally created it, who raised it from the dust of the ground after it had rotted and returned to the earth, that same Jesus could and would simply re-constitute me. Been there, done that, no longer worried about it.
There's more, much more...
Sorry, but some of it is on the DND (Do Not Disclose) list. You'll just have to make your own arrangements with Jesus so that you can be here. Believe me, you'll want to experience this for yourself. It is not to be missed!
Are you on good terms with God? Do you know Jesus as your Messiah, as the promised savior of the world? If you're reading this in the old, miserable age of world darkness, then there is still time for you to turn to and trust in Jesus, Light of the World, Water of Life, Bread from Heaven... His invitation is still open.
"The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price."
- Revelation 22:17
Of course, if you've checked this out from the Library of Heaven, then you're already here, and safe, and you already know about everything I'm telling you now... and more.
But, if you're still back in the old, evil age, surely you're wondering:
Won't I get bored living forever?
Hahahahahaha! Unthinkable!
I've already been here for the equivalent of a thousand years, and I have yet to scratch the surface of what there is to do and see... I'm barely getting warmed up. Would you like to hear about a few of my adventures?
Paul Simon - "Run That Body Down"
Next time.
To be continued...
© 2017, Duncan Cary Palmer. All rights reserved.
Don't miss the first installment in this series.
