Dr. Nichols’ ‘Heaven on Earth’

Well, I just started the latest book by Dr. Stephen J. Nichols: ‘Heaven on Earth: Capturing Jonathan Edwards’s Vision of Living in Between.’ So far, it’s fantastic!

Just like the book I recently raved about (‘How People Change’), this book is a great reminder of just how far we have to go in learning, ‘how to live in between our coming to Christ and our going home to heaven.’

I could very much relate to his descriptions of both those of us who ‘live in monasteries of [our] own making, safe within the shelter of its walls’ (i.e., our heavenward focus ‘distracts us from the path that is before us on earth’; AND those of us who are ‘distracted by this world and risk being consumed by it’ (i.e., we are ‘consumed by this world’s agenda and are driven by its passions.’).

What surprised me, however, was his statement that: ‘The answer to the dilemma lies deeper than simply seeking a balance between being earthly- and heavenly-minded.’

I didn’t see that idea coming. But once he explained what he meant, I thought to myself, ‘Ah. Of course. Yes, yes, of course you are right.’ (Don’t you love those ‘ah-hah’ moments that you get when you are listening to a great sermon, reading a great book, or even just having a ‘real’ conversation with a friend?)

Dr. Nichols calls us to ‘adopt a radically different perspective’ that ‘saves us from escapism’ AND keeps us from being ‘distracted and absorbed and consumed by this world.’

‘In between being too heavenly-minded or too earthly-minded, there is a third way: living in this world from the perspective of the next. To state the matter more directly, it’s a vision of heaven on earth.’

Ah! Well-said. Well-done, Dr. Nichols! I’m looking forward to working my way through this book and I hope you’ll consider studying it too. It would be fun to ‘talk’ about on this blog or on our discussion board too.

Sending you my love!

Your friend,
Tara B.

PS
If you’re thinking that this book is ONLY another (delightfully) deep-thinking, Scripture-soaked, doctrine-explaining, Puritan-explaining tome, I want to encourage you that a) it’s very short (a nice thin volume that would tuck into your bag as you’re out and about running errands and waiting for your kids; and b) I’m already chuckling out loud at some of his ‘asides.’ Let me tell you just one … as he was giving a ‘very brief’ overview of the life of Jonathan Edwards, he wrote this:

‘As the only son to Timothy and Sarah Stoddard Edwards, he had ten sisters (that alone should secure him a place in history) …’

🙂 !!

Happy Tuesday to you all – tkb