"DISCOVERING HEAVEN”

The scientists at Exedor Laboratories got the strangest assignment they ever saw one day in October. The company specialized in using scientific research to find out the big mysteries of the universe and they had done very well in the last few years. The project they received that day though was the strangest of them all and the customer who ordered the research was very mysterious.

Hector, the lead scientist read the assignment to his research team. All of the scientists put down their microscopes and their special glasses for examining things that need to be examined and buttoned up their white coats to listen.

“This assignment will be the most difficult of all we have done, gentleman.” Hector said in a slight German accent. “We are to research the existence of Heaven. We are to gather information from every source, every religion all around the world and prove scientifically that Heaven exists and then provide to our customers details of what it will be like and how to get there.”

Well, the staff was pretty confused by their assignment but they got right on it. Before long, they were fanning out into the libraries and around the world to find proof of the existence of Heaven. Georgiou found that the Heaven called Nirvana is not really a place at all but an afterlife where you stop existing and get absorbed into a “great nothingness.”

“That won’t do Georgiou. We would have to prove that this ‘Great Nothingness’ exists and how to get there. Besides that sounds more like a recipe for chicken soup than heaven.” Hector responded sarcastically. The big religions all seemed to have similar results where the followers worked for all their lives really hard or over several lives only to get sucked up into some nothingness that had no location and no witness that this place really existed. Then came the silly ones.

“Here is one where after you die, you go to a large roller rink where you play roller dodge ball for eternity.” Philippe reported.

“Here is one where you get your own planet and you get to have hundreds of wives and you become a god yourself.” Sydney read from his clipboard. “Hector I don’t know about this one. I can’t keep up with the wife I have, hundreds just seems silly.” He concluded and Hector agreed.

“Here is one where you where mouse ears and go on rides for eternity.” Reported Reginald.

“That’s not heaven, that’s Disneyland!” Hector objected. Gentlemen, these are all really dopey heavens. I want something we can verify, something that is worthy of a persons eternal soul. Something that doesn’t sound like a comic book. Find me a heaven that can be verified with witnesses.” And he sent his scientists out for another month of research. Finally, they gathered for their final reports and it didn’t go much better. Scientist after scientist presented their report but there was no proof.

“We have to have a witness, someone who has been to heaven and came back to give us the details. Does anybody have such a heaven?”

“I do.” The shy voice from the back. It was Lucy, the daughter of Reginald who was only in the fifth grade. She wasn’t even a scientist but Hector was desperate.

“Then share your findings with the scientific community Lucy, come speak into the microphone.” The little girl walked to the front carrying a mysterious looking book in her hands. Then she spoke.

“It’s all in this book. It’s an ancient book of writings and listen to this. ’Nobody can tell you about heaven except someone who has been there and returned again to take you there.”

“EXACTLY!” Hector shouted with excitement. “Read more little girl.”

“Ok” said Lucy and she read “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.” Lucy finished reading.

“Who said these words? This person is the witness of what Heaven is like that we need!.” Hector said frantically.

“It’s Jesus.” Lucy answered holding up the book. “And the book is the Bible that everybody has in their houses. Jesus came down from heaven to take us there. He tells us all about it. Listen to how it will be:” she said and then she opened the book to read again.

“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain. And it had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written there. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; and the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.”

“This is the proof we all need.” Hector prepared. This little girl has brought the evidence that everyone needs to know that there is a heaven, what it looks like and that there is a witness and how to get there. Wait a minute, how do we get there Lucy?” Hector asked.

“You accept Jesus into your heart and you become a new creature and then when everybody is ready, Jesus will come back and take us all there himself and we will have new bodies and never get sick or die or be sad ever again, forever and ever and ever.” Lucy answered confidently.

“Hector, I vote that we all go to the lab and have Lucy show us how to get Jesus in our hearts so we can go to Heaven for more research.” Philippe moved and all the scientists cheered for joy at the suggestion.

And Lucy did just that. She took them to the chapel instead of the lab but one by one each scientist came to know Jesus and became a new creature and they prepared their report that pointed to the one place we all have but so many of us never look, the Bible with the roadmap and proof that there is a Heaven and that God has a plan for us to live there forever. (The Joshua Project)