Paradise--lost and found

There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain (Revelation 21:4).

We are fascinated with the idea of paradise. Many stories have been told about a traveler who stumbles upon a hidden place that is absolutely perfect; yet those stories usually have a sad ending. The traveler finds that he doesn’t fit in. He might break some rule and get sent away. He might get nostalgic for his old life and eventually goes home. Or he might get bored with perfection and leave in search of excitement.

What is paradise? What would it be like to live in a perfect world? Perfection means different things to different people. Viking warriors looked forward to Valhalla, a place where the dead can enjoy the thrill of constant warfare. Some Muslims believe that if they die in battle with unbelievers, they will go to a place filled with virgins to deflower. Buddhists hope to achieve Nirvana, a state where all desire and individual identity are lost.

Some worry that paradise would be boring; they say that without the struggle to achieve new goals, life has no meaning. Others worry that they aren’t worthy of happiness; as messed up as they are, they don’t belong in paradise. And some are very attached to life in this world; the thought of leaving earth behind makes them very uncomfortable.

The Bible talks about paradise in the first few chapters, throughout the middle, and at the end. God made our world a paradise, but humanity messed up and paradise was lost. To correct this, God sent His Son to suffer for our wrongdoings and overcome the power of death. In this way, Jesus made us worthy of paradise and able to live there. When the Lord returns at the end of time, earth will be remade into a new paradise, and all people who trust in Jesus will rise from the dead to live there forever.

In paradise, there will be no struggle for self-improvement; when Jesus raises us from the grave, He will make us perfect like Him. No one will feel out of place, because we are all undeserving failures; yet in spite of that, Jesus loves us and wants us to be with Him forever. When we finally experience perfect happiness, it will be easy to see how much better paradise is than our problem-filled life on earth. And I sincerely doubt that being happy can ever get boring!