Session 20
What will relationships be like in heaven?
From Luke: A 24-Day Devotional
What happens when we die? How does this question make you feel? For many, it can evoke a sense of uncertainty and fear. In our desperate need to be in control, this question quickly reminds us we are not. But, that’s OK.
In Luke, a group of religious leaders who denied the possibility of the resurrection asked Jesus what the marriage relationship looks like in the resurrection.
Jesus said, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels” (Luke 20:34-36).
Jesus reminds us to not think of heaven as an extension of the earth as we know it. While marriage is a gift from God, our relationships will be different in heaven than what we are used to right now. Our relationships in this life are limited by time, death, and sin. In eternity, none of those things will exist.
Our intimacy will be with God and He will satisfy our every need.
Heaven is our greatest triumph. This world is a temporary home for us. As Christians, our citizenship has always been and will be in heaven. Everything we go through on earth is a preparation for our true journey with God in heaven.
Billy Graham put it best when he said, “Though Christians have no immunity from death, death is to them a friend rather than a foe — the beginning rather than the end.”
God is in control and our hope rests in Him. It’s never too late to become a part of God’s family.
Reflect:
- How does the way Jesus described heaven in this passage affect your view of death?
- It’s OK to feel uneasy about what happens after death. What is one step you can take to let go of control and trust Jesus?
- Do you have a relationship with Jesus in which you can confidently say you’re going to heaven one day? If you answered no, you can start a relationship with Jesus today.