A Thought on How We Will Worship God in Eternity
You may recall a recent sermon in which I encouraged you to read the chapter ‘Heaven’ in C.S. Lewis’ book, The Problem of Pain. Well, Karol took it to heart and read the chapter which sparked several conversations between us regarding what Heaven will be like.
One aspect that was intriguing to us was Lewis’ opinion that God has made each soul who has ever lived singularly unique. (That thought might produce a, "Duh! Of course, everyone is different!" response from you.) It is not the fact that He created us to be unique, but rather Lewis' reasoning as to why this was so important to God. Lewis concluded that God created us with a unique 'key-shaped understanding' of Himself which, in eternity, will give each of us the ability to express our love in worship to HIM in a way no one else can AND that we will spend eternity illuminating one another about the aspects of God that He has uniquely made known to each of us individually.
“”. . . that each of the redeemed shall forever know and praise some one aspect of the divine beauty better than any other creature can. Why else were individuals created, but that God, loving all infinitely, should love each differently? And this difference, so far from impairing [the united community we will have with one another for eternity], floods with meaning the love of all blessed creatures for one another, the communion of the saints. If all experienced God in the same way and returned Him an identical worship, the song of the Church triumphant would have no symphony, it would be like an orchestra in which all the instruments played the same note . . .
[So that in Heaven]
. . . because the blessed remain eternally different . . . each has something to tell all the others -- fresh and ever fresh news of the "My God" whom each finds in Him whom all praise as "Our God." For doubtless the continually successful, yet never completed, attempt by each soul to communicate its unique vision to all others . . .is also among the ends for which the individual was created."
Lewis, C.S., The Problem of Pain, Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1962, pg. 150
This brought us a deeper appreciation for the differences we see in our brothers and sisters around us and inspired us to value those differences instead of groaning about how others just don’t ‘think or act as I do!’
(Spoiler Alert: This thought will fit in well with our coming sermon series in Ephesians which is particularly written to The Church.)