Big Surprise
Let me introduce you to a man who is highly honoured in my circles. He became a Christian as a child and dedicated his life to serving the Lord. He was a missionary in another part of the world for many years and after he returned home to Canada continued his ministry here. He is a gifted communicator whose easy confidence in the pulpit comes across effectively to even quite diverse audiences.
On one occasion I was enjoying a conversation with him. We were talking about heaven and the fact that while the Bible does offer us some information, it doesn't give a very detailed description. What we don't know about heaven far outweighs what we do know. This is most likely because what matters about heaven is the One we will meet face to face there, rather than the place itself, no matter how glorious it may be.
Out of the blue, my friend said, "The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that there will be at least three surprises for me in heaven." He paused waiting for me to respond to this bait. When I did, he went on to explain that he thought that he would likely be surprised that some people he didn't expect to see there, would be there. This would be because God's grace is exceedingly broad and some people he may have thought had not really committed to faith in the Lord Jesus, in fact, had.
The second surpise would be that some people he expected to see there would be absent. This would be because human hearts are exceedingly hard and deceptive, so some may have given the impression of being true followers of Jesus, when, in fact, they were pursuing their own selfish purposes.
The third surprise would be the greatest, he said. This last and greatest surprise would be that he, himself, was there. I watched him closely as he said this. He was not trying to shock me. He was not fishing for compliments. He was not expressing some deep, disturbing personal doubt. He was not questioning God's faithfulness or His ability to keep His promises. What his face told me was that, even after all the years of knowing and serving God, he still was overwhelmed by God's grace in saving Him. He knew himself better than his family, his friends, and his fans. He knew he was entirely unworthy of ever being in God's presence. Yet by God's grace, he would be in heaven, but would be surprised that he was.
I can still picture the scene when he spoke of these things. It's a memory I treasure. I've thought often of the look on his face as he spoke of his anticipated surprise at being, at last, in the presence of the One he loved. He was resting in one of the most solid propositions known to humanity. It is revealed in Jude's doxology: "Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen" (Jude 24-25 ESV).
The question I ask myself today is this: "Is my spiritual awareness so acute, so intense, so accurate, that I can rest securely in the promise of God to save all those who call on the name of the Lord, and at the same time experience wonder, surprise, amazement, as I am overwhelmed that the grace of God is broad enough to include me? Maybe you'd like to ask yourself the same question.
Ron Hughes
© April 2008
