Working in Heaven

June 6 2007

Question:

What will we do in Heaven?  I love to play sports and I can’t imagine being happy in heaven without them.  I know some people will think this is silly, but do you think it’s possible?

Billy Graham’s answer:

The Bible doesn’t answer all our questions about heaven – but it does tell us that it will be a place of supreme happiness and joy.  You can be sure that God will supply us with everything we’ll even need to make us happy there.  It’s natural for us to think that our life in heaven will be like our life on this earth, only greater.  But the Bible says, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)  In other words, the joy you get out of sports or anything else is insignificant compared with the joy God has in store for you in Heaven.  Don’t make the mistake either of thinking heaven is boring.  Nothing could be further from the truth!  The Bible says God will have work for us to do – although we won’t grow bored or weary like we do in this life.  It tells us that we will be “before the throne of God and serve him day and night.” (Revelation 7:15) The greatest truth about heaven, however, is that we will be with God and with Jesus forever.

Jen’s response:

Ok – so let me get this straight.  In we really really love god, when we die, our reward is to serve him day and night while he sits on his throne in his temple.  And this is continuous with no breaks.   Sounds a lot like slavery to me.  So, the simple answer to the question is apparently, no.  You won’t get to play sports.  You will be too busy working as a slave to a god in his temple.

I am not sure why Graham says that Heaven will be a happy, joyous place.  His quotes don’t say that and I just looked up the context to see if any of the surrounding verses mention heaven as being a happy place, and, they don’t.  Your suffering will apparently end, but it doesn’t promise happiness.  I have no doubt that if there is a god, you will be surprised by what god has in store for you as promised in the Corinthians quote, because I am pretty sure that most people don’t envision heaven as an absolute monarchy with slaves to do the bidding of the king in his castle, which is how it is described in the quote from Revelations. 

So, if you want to play sports, you are going to need to do it while you’re here.