The Innocence and Purity of God and Those Who Can Truly See It

This, and probably other posts in the future, are pure speculation. They aren't based on any Scripture but are rather shaped by my view of God, what I know of him, and, perhaps, a little by my overactive imagination. When I've written different things in the past, I've been a little nervous that people will think me a heretic, and yet, I write. I figure if I am too far wrong someone will, hopefully lovingly, correct me. :)

I don't know how God will manifest himself in Heaven, I lean towards thinking that he won't be one single being seated on a throne in front of us all the time, but rather sometimes will be multiple (somethings?) so he can be more personal with those he has gone through so much effort to save. If he is simply always seated on a throne in front of us, with us in constant praise, I think that will be enough, but that is a post for another time. In this post I want to talk about babies and those with developmental issues. I've been wanting to write this for a few days, but during the lesson tonight, my dad said, “If you stop to think about it, there's going to be a lot of babies in heaven,” which caused me to want to write it more. Why? Because it's about what I think those babies are doing when they get there, when they get Home.

When babies go to Heaven, when those who are developmentally challenged go to heaven, those who are innocent and pure; when they see God, I think there is a squeal or yell of delight and a rush to hug God's knees or jump into his arms. Why? Because their soul sees an echo of themselves in God's soul, actually more than an echo, they see that upon which their soul is based, that which their innocence and purity is an echo of. If they made it to earth, if they lived here for a time, and their eyes had sight to see, all adults are but a shadow of that innocence and purity which God's soul radiates like the sun. They can look into the face of God, with eyes unclouded by any type of fear, and see themselves most reflected back. They recognize God because they can know in a way, that will perhaps take us an eternity to learn, that he and they are one, they are copies of him. They will look at him with the delight of a child, as only a human child can delight, and he will look back at them with equal or even more delight in his eyes.

I think children and those who are developmentally challenged will see God in a way that they will have to teach us, for their purity and innocence was never marred by sin and filth. I know we are fully purified by Christ's blood, I know we are made new, but I still think they will have lessons to teach us.

That's not to say their way of seeing God is better or more perfect, because I think our experiences here on earth, our joys, sufferings, loves, and struggles with hate and other things, will allows us to see aspects of God in ways that I'm not sure we will ever be able to truly teach those innocents, especially those whom have only known the perfection of heaven. But this is covered in a blog I did a couple years ago, so I'll dig that up, improve it, and share it, for this was not the primary thought of this post.

I know we will all be joyous in Heaven, but I think that all the children there, children in age and children in thought, might just have us beat by a few degrees in terms of expressing that joy, for they will fully recognize their Abba as they first look upon his smiling face.

I'm a little disappointed by this, I can't convey how wonderful I think it will first be when children see him, the joy I think will radiate off their faces. Just try to picture it and Someday it will be more than imaginings.

Book Review for The Worthing Saga by Orson Scott Card

Jason Worthing comes from a planet totally covered over with steel, where the elite take a drug that causes them to sleep agelessly for years at a time, “skipping through time as a stone skips over water,” so they can pretend to live forever. Lared comes from a planet roughly technologically similar to medieval times, a planet that until recently, until the Day of Pain, did not have true pain, fresh grief, or accidents with consequences.

Throughout time some have thought Jason was a god, after all, he came out of the starship which brought forth man, animals, and crops. He came from the heavens and walked on water, along with his companion, Justice. But really Jason is only a man. True, he is a man who reads minds and memories so thoroughly that he sometimes confuses others memories with his own, but he is still just a man. Lared is just a boy, a boy who helps around the farm, but he can read and write. He can receive dreams and can tell a story.

Jason needs someone through whom his story can be told, Lared is chosen because through his mostly unlearned quill, the story will be simple and, hopefully, have the simple ring of truth. Jason needs to explain why the Day of Pain occurred on this and every world and what his part in the story was.

Lared is becoming a man and, in this new world which contains pain, that means more in more ways than it ever has before.

What is it about? It is science fiction and also somewhat fantasy. It is about growing up, memories, defining moments, pain and joy and sorrow. I think it is most deeply a philosophical book. It is a book which seeks to answer why some pain occurs; why grief, betrayal, and want can be a blessing. It strives to show how living one day at a time, instead of trying so hard to live forever, is really the best way, because it is lived side by side with others that we love.

It is a little slow at times but it is also really and truly interesting. Also, some of it is quite thought provoking. Though it certainly doesn't make sense of all pain, suffering, and hardship; it does, perhaps, make sense of some and seeks to explain why a god would allow these things to come to man.

I would rate it a strong PG-13 or maybe an R for violence, gore, sexual content (it doesn't go into details), and tough subject matter.