Being alive with God means that we have intimacy with his Spirit here and that we have hope alive for what is coming:
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us...we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently - Romans 8:18,22-25. NIV
I love, LOVE Romans 8. It puts everything in perspective. Better, it says that things are ok as they are now in that, yes it's okay to tell your soul to wait for its desires to be fulfilled and that you don't have to be afraid you will never get what you want in this world because you most definitely will in the next. It gives comfort. Notice that what we are really waiting on is the redemption of our bodies. And why not? Later in 1 Corinthians 15 Paul says as for our bodies, they are sown natural bodies, but raised spiritual bodies. And also John says that when we are with Jesus, finally, we will be like him (1 John 3:2). We are walking spirits. We are made in God's image and he is Spirit. I love it because we will finally be the same essence in our bodies that God is. We will finally be able to touch him, hold him, embrace him. And it won't be something alien to us, but as in Romans 8, it is the redemption of our bodies. So it's not something different than what we are, it's just that we are more real as we are than ever and finally are the original image we were meant to be of our Beloved. We are flesh and bone, like Jesus after he was resurrected, but we are spiritual. It will be amazing.
So as we wait upon our Lover here and show the whole world God's love and love each other, what can we do to rejoice in him and in our hope of him? I love reading the verses in the Bible that have something like: rejoice before Yahweh your God.
Rejoice before Yahweh your God for seven days - Leviticus 23:40
Rejoice in everything you have put your hand to - Deuteronomy 12:7
And there rejoice before Yahweh your God - Deuteronomy 12:12
I think this can be part of what Jesus said in Matthew about us going into our bedroom, closing the door, and being alone with him to pray. There in our secret place with him, rejoice before him! Here we can be silly before him. Jump for joy in front of him! Scream as loud as you can to tell him how in love with him you are! Celebrate him. Just you and him. No one else has to know how silly it gets. Only rejoice in him :) It's part of our love relationship with him.
And when we finally do get to Heaven to be with him and have the redemption of our bodies, there will be some of these memories that have been made with him that he has treasured. And has stored up for us. And there he will show us how much he adores us and adored every moment we spent enjoying him and rejoicing in front of him.
At our door is every delicacy, both new and old, that I have stored up for you, my beloved. Song of Songs 7:13
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