heaven in Beijing

Picture this:

A parade of nations
Each one proudly showing their culture and nation’s emblems
Marching into a gathering
Each nation having stories of overcoming challenge, defeating the odds, victories, growth on the journey, and realizing their dreams
Some stories are spotlighted to share personal stories of how they got here
A spectacular show of lights, fireworks, music, dancing

Sounds a bit like what will air on NBC tonight from Beijing…

OR sounds a bit like what I think heaven will be like!

I picture this grand festival, maybe at the marriage supper of the lamb but I really don’t know how things will take place when this earth as we know it is over. This isn't my eschatology blog, just an exciting mental picture I think about each time the Olympics roll around.

I imagine every tongue, tribe, and nation coming in
Proudly smiling and singing praises in their native language
Marching in around the throne of the King
Each tongue, tribe or nation will have a story of how God saved their people group, how they came to know the saving power of Jesus Christ
Maybe we’ll hear stories for all eternity of how a lost boy from Sudan not only made it to the Olympics, but made it to the throne of Jesus
That opening ceremony will be bigger than anything we could create in this world- lights, fireworks, music and dancing I imagine that none of us have ever seen before

The exciting part to me is that we, the Church, get to be part of that show. We have been rescued & redeemed, and he has put a new song in our hearts. We are part of the bride that will be presented to the King, complete and made whole.

Revelation 19:7
Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.

We have the invitation and get to share it with every tongue, tribe and nation. We don't know when it will be but we know every tongue, tribe, and nation is invited. The party won't happen until they have all heard the invitation.

Matthew 24:14
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

9After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10And they cried out in a loud voice:
"Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb."

Enjoy the Olympics and when you see the nations coming in proud of how far they have come, pray that they would come to know Him who is the only real treasure- far greater than silver and gold and things of this world.