Is it possible to be “too heavenly minded”?
By Elizabeth Prata
SYNOPSIS: Whoever thought of the phrase “You’re so heavenly minded you’re no earthly good” should be flogged with a wet noodle. While it’s true that we are busy here on earth, we should never be so busy that we fail to persistently contemplate the love and blessedness awaiting us in our heavenly home. Jonathan Edwards knew this.
Jonathan Edwards was born in 1703 in Connecticut. He was inquisitive, brilliant, and is said to be America’s foremost theologian. He preached in Connecticut at Northampton for 20 years, where he also delivered the famous sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” which sparked a region-wide revival.
Because of the impact and vivid imagery of that sermon, Edwards is often thought of to be dour and severe. He wasn’t. He preached on heaven and love many times, and wrote a chapter in his book Charity and its Fruits called Heaven, a World of Love. The piece is actually the last chapter of an exposition of 1 Corinthians 13. (Edwards used the older version of the word charity for the word love. In this context charity does not mean giving to the poor. It means love.)
The topics of heaven and love were actually main themes of his entire ministry. He often wrote about heaven in his diary as a teen and later his Personal Narratives as an adult.
Whoever thought of the phrase “You’re so heavenly minded you’re no earthly good” should be flogged with a wet noodle. It’s an awful perspective to maintain. Yes, we do work out our salvation with fear and trembling here on earth, and we must be about our Father’s business here on earth. We’re busy.
But for the Christian, we should not be SO busy that we forget the end goal. There is no separation of earth and heaven. We live in both. We are already citizens of heaven. While it’s true our flesh resides here on earth currently, it’s also true that Heaven lives IN us, as the Holy Spirit’s indwelling believers as part of the guarantee. (Ephesians 1:14). Guarantee of what? That we are are guaranteed to inherit what God has promised us, including our abode in heaven.
It is our destination, and our home. It’s an incredible gift that God gives us to be able to dwell in His home.
So, yes, we should think about it, and often. Constantly.
Here are Jonathan Edwards’ thoughts on love and heaven. May these words encourage you! We have a gracious God.
Of the principle of love in heaven. —
And by this I mean, the love itself that fills and blesses the heavenly world, and which may be noticed both as to its nature and degree. And,
As to its nature. — In its nature, this love is altogether holy and divine. Most of the love that there is in this world is of an unhallowed nature. But the love that has place in heaven is not carnal but spiritual. It does not proceed from corrupt principles or selfish motives, nor is it directed to mean and vile purposes and ends. As opposed to all this, it is a pure flame, directed by holy motives, and aiming at no ends inconsistent with God’s glory and the happiness of the universe. The saints in heaven love God for his own sake, and each other for God’s sake, and for the sake of the relation that they have to him, and the image of God that is upon them. All their love is pure and holy. We may notice this love, also,
As to its degree. — And in degree it is perfect. The love that dwells in the heart of God is perfect, with an absolutely infinite and divine perfection. The love of angels and saints to God and Christ, is perfect in its kind, or with such a perfection as is proper to their nature. It is perfect with a sinless perfection, and perfect in that it is commensurate to the capacities of their nature. So it is said in the text, that “when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.” Their love shall be without any remains of any contrary principle, having no pride or selfishness to interrupt it or hinder its exercises. Their hearts shall be full of love. That which was in the heart on earth as but a grain of mustard-seed, shall be as a great tree in heaven. The soul that in this world had only a little spark of divine love in it, in heaven shall be, as it were, turned into a bright and ardent flame, like the sun in its fullest brightness, when it has no spot upon it.
In heaven there shall be no remaining enmity, or distaste, or coldness, or deadness of heart towards God and Christ. Not the least remainder of any principle of envy shall exist to be exercised toward angels or other beings who are superior in glory; nor shall there be aught like contempt or slighting of those who are inferiors. Those that have a lower station in glory than others, suffer no diminution of their own happiness by seeing others above them in glory. On the contrary, all the members of that blessed society rejoice in each other’s happiness, for the love of benevolence is perfect in them all. Every one has not only a sincere, but a perfect goodwill to every other. Sincere and strong love is greatly gratified and delighted in the prosperity of the beloved object; and if the love be perfect, the greater the prosperity of the beloved is, the more is the lover pleased and delighted; for the prosperity of the beloved is, as it were, the food of love, and therefore the greater that prosperity, the more richly is love feasted. The love of benevolence is delighted in beholding the prosperity of another, as the love of complacence is, in beholding the beauty or perfection of another. So that the superior prosperity of those that are higher in glory, is so far from being a hindrance to the degree of love felt toward them, that it is an addition to it, or a part of it.
