Heaven without God?

Yesterday my wife and I were talking about someone very dear to us, particularly about a short conversation where this person mentioned that she does not believe in God but believes that she will go to heaven. This is a strange thought process for me to understand. One who believes in heaven must surly believe in God, right? A part of me thinks that what is missing in her is not a belief in God (believing in heaven surely means that there is some belief in something greater than this world), but rather a misunderstanding about God's love. It can be easy for those with a rough past to question God's love, I may not have all the answers for her but I do know that God definitely loves us. John 3:16 (one of the most quoted verses in the bible) tells us: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. God does love us; he wants our love, he wants our belief and faith in him as well. The book of John also tells us what Jesus thought about faith and belief: "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

She also made a comment along the lines of, "...so and so's husband just died, if there was a God he wouldn't let that happen". The word of God does not tell us that we will never suffer, but know that sin, evil, suffering was not God's doing. God made all creation and "it was good". He created man in his image, this included the capacity to love. To have the capacity to "love" we must have "free will", and from "free will" came the fall of man in the garden of Eden. Since the fall, our world and lives have been full of suffering. Even natural disasters and the like can be attributed to the fall of man. In our rejection of God (the we can do it without you attitude) he stepped back and let us see that we do need him. (like the fact that you can tell a child over and over not to touch something because it's hot but if he had touched it once you would never have to tell him again). Though there is suffering in this world there is hope, God sent us a savior that we my once again come to him and be in a perfect place.

".....In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” -John 16:33 (JESUS)

Look, I don't have all the answers, I don't claim to have all the answers. I, like many others, am still learning new things about myself every day. How can I answer all there is to ask of our God, the creator of me? I do on the other hand know one answer....JESUS!....and I am thoroughly content with that answer. I am not saying that I won't continue to diligently seek the answers to life's toughest questions, just that I am fully faithful that God has his reasons. My understanding is limited to my knowledge and my knowledge is limited to what is given, in time I will understand.

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)

I just hope and pray that the things which I know to be true can find it's way into the hearts of those who are lost, those who have these beliefs that are seated in their own misconceptions of who God truly is. Misconceptions formed from their own minds; built upon a painful past, present, or perceived future; and not from the word of God. I pray that God uses me, as broken as I am, to be an instrument for him.


How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? (Romans 10:14)

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. (Mark 16:15-16)