PJ54
Well-known member
Saturday, April 27 2024I came to call, not righteous people, but sinners.—Matt. 9:13.
We should strive to let go of guilt that we may feel because of serious sins committed in the past. Of course, we would never consider the ransom sacrifice to be an excuse to “practice sin willfully.” (Heb. 10:26-31) But we can rest assured that if we truly have repented of a serious sin, have sought the help Jehovah provides, and have changed our conduct, he has forgiven us in a large way. (Isa. 55:7; Acts 3:19) The ransom sacrifice is powerful enough to cover all our sins and will make life in Paradise possible. Life there will never be boring. We will always have interesting people to meet and meaningful work to do. Best of all, each day we will be able to come to know our heavenly Father better and enjoy what he has provided. We will never run out of things to learn about him, and there will be so much to learn about his creation. w22.12 13 ¶17, 19
Examining the Scriptures Daily—2024
Imagining Paradise
It is not uncommon for persons to suppose that living forever in paradise would be boring. This is an edited reprint of a previous Mailbag question from the week of April 20th, 2003, discussing the topic. I feel really depressed and mixed up because I have this feeling that
e-watchman.com
It is not uncommon for persons to suppose that living forever in paradise would be boring. This is an edited reprint of a previous Mailbag question from the week of April 20th, 2003, discussing the topic.
Okay. Let’s do a little exercise here, just for fun. While you are on the computer, open up your word processor and start a document called: “Things I would like to do.” Now, start listing all the things you would like to do. Be as imaginative as you want, but be realistic. This is your wish list for this system.I feel really depressed and mixed up because I have this feeling that maybe the New World after Armageddon will not live up to expectations. I know it’s just because I could not imagine everlasting life in this system without getting bored or tired of it. I know we are told that we will be happy, but I need some form of reassurance. Please help.
To start you off, maybe you would like to go to the movies with some friends today and then go out for some pizza afterwards. Okay then, write that down. How about tomorrow? What do you want to do? How about a year from now or ten years from now?
Right off the bat, you probably recognize that there are some serious limitations here. More than likely you are going to have to do things today and tomorrow that you wish you didn’t have to do. You know your situation.
Okay, now I am going to ask you to use something that everyone possesses that is one of the most powerful forces in the universe—your imagination! Think about this: Everything in the world, both good and bad, originated in someone’s imagination first before it became real. So, unleash your imagination!
Now make a list of all the things you want to do without the limitations you are presently faced with. Don’t worry about not having the time or money or energy.
Imagine: No limitations!
Think about it. Spend some time lost in a daydream. Realize that in your imagination you can go anywhere and do anything.
Forget the Watchtower’s crude drawings of people sitting around on blankets with huge picnic baskets of fruit and vegetables, while the children are petting lions. That’s merely one aspect of an artist’s impression of paradise. The real paradise is much more than that and your imagination has the power to make it much more vivid. Besides, this is your list—your version of paradise. What do you want to do?
Now do you get the picture?
Paradise means that you can stay up as late as you want partying with friends and drinking cappuccino!—If that’s what you want. It means that you can sleep until noon every day—if that’s what you want. It means that you can go anywhere, anytime, without any worries or hassles from anyone.
Do you wish to live in a home on a cliff overlooking the sea? Why not have another home in the mountains and one in the valley or desert too? You can do a time-share with your many friends from all over the world when you aren’t living there. Are we getting the imaginative juices flowing yet?
By the way, how many friends do you have now? How many do you want to have? How many friends do you have that are from a different race or nationality? How many languages do you speak? Why not learn them all? Impossible you say? Can you imagine using 100% of your mental capacity? Probably not, since we currently use only a very small percentage of our brain’s capacity—even when imagining.
Okay, maybe you just would like to live free and unencumbered without any possessions—just living in the open like Adam and Eve—if that’s what you desire. Or, you can live like the wealthiest person in the world—because you will be—everyone will be, because you will not be lacking anything that you desire. Remember: Jehovah has immense wealth, beyond our ability to even comprehend, and he is going to share it with all of his children.
Can you imagine the joy and deep satisfaction of having meaningful human relationships? No more people-problems caused by jealousy, greed, anger and stupidity! Just think: No more mean people!
Paradise means that you can have a perfect family. It means your children will never be snotty-nosed, bawling brats. Children will always be a joy to be around. They will continually amaze you with their genius, creativity and loveliness. How many children do you want to have? And just imagine seeing your children’s children for who knows how many generations?
Do you wanna sing and dance? What’s stopping you?
Do you want to play beautiful music? Or perhaps you yearn to compose music like a Beethoven? Forget it. By the time Wolfgang Amadeus is resurrected into paradise you will be giving him music lessons!
There are yet-unheard new songs waiting to be sung and new music to be discovered and composed, and you are going to have the opportunity to do it all—if that’s what you desire.
Do you wish to paint or sculpt or make beautiful works of glass or ceramic? Would you like to design landscapes that make the gardens of Versailles look like an unkempt lot? Do you want to write classic novels and stories that inspire and captivate others?
Remember, no limitations!
What do you want to do? No two snowflakes are exactly the same—or so they say. The same goes for people. And you will have forever to discover your own uniqueness and potential, as well as the uniqueness of others.
What about travel? Have you ever been to Tahiti? How about Tibet or Tangiers?
Have you ever explored an underground cave? Why not? Have you ever dug an emerald or ruby out of the earth? How many unpolished precious gems are waiting to be unearthed and transformed into breathtaking ornaments by you?
Have you ever climbed a mountain? Have you ever stood on a frosty peak and looked out over the world? Have you ever slept under a canopy of stars in the middle of the vast ocean, in a sail boat, as giant whales sing their serene serenade in the distance? Have you ever gone snorkeling in tropical blue waters? Have you ever frolicked with a pod of killer whales or dolphins?
Have you ever traveled to the beautiful winter wonderland of the Arctic and hung out with penguins or fed the polar bears in the glow of the Northern lights? It is going to become your planet. What do you want to do with it?
Where do you want to go?