A friend of mine who owns a thriving business faced an unexpected crisis when a key employee resigned suddenly without warning, leaving his fellow employees holding the bag. Thankfully the staff team stepped up, everyone worked together to fill the gap, and things turned out well after all. Relieved and grateful, my friend explained, “I thought all Hell was going to break loose, but instead, Heaven broke loose!” 

His comment made me think about the Lord’s Prayer where Jesus instructed us to pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Revelation chapter 5 provides a glimpse of what goes on in Heaven. The Lamb (Christ) stands at the center of God’s throne. Heavenly beings hold harps and “golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people” (Revelation 5:8). More angels than anyone can count, “ten thousand times ten thousand” (v. 11), fill the air with songs of praise as all creation proclaims, “Worthy is the Lamb!”

Is it possible for us to taste such divine glory in the midst of our daily lives? Can that kind of worship (even a smidgeon of it) really occur “on earth as it is in heaven”? What does it look like when Heaven breaks loose? 

Tasting Heaven’s Glory 
Heaven breaks loose when we are more concerned about pleasing God than impressing others or pleasing ourselves.

Heaven breaks loose when two or three meet together for prayer in Jesus’ name and recognize that the Lord himself is in their midst (Matthew 18:20).

Heaven breaks loose when caring friends comfort the suffering and weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15).

Heaven breaks loose when faithful messengers communicate the gospel with earnestness and clarity, recognizing that their job is not to preach about themselves, but to lift up Christ as Lord (2 Corinthians 4:5).

Heaven breaks loose when a child sings “Jesus Loves Me,” for God is glorified by the praise of children and infants (Psalm 8:2).

Heaven breaks loose when an aging Christian in a nursing home sees it as her mission to encourage and pray for the other residents, and when an old man shares love and wisdom with the young, declaring God’s power to the next generation (Psalm 71:18). 

Heaven breaks loose when sins are forgiven, grievances are laid aside, relationships are healed, divisions are reconciled, lost sheep are found, and individuals replace hatred with “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12).

Heaven breaks loose when Christians serve our neighbors so well, do our jobs so diligently, love each other so earnestly, and give so generously that even those who try to accuse us of doing wrong find their slanderous words do not stick (1 Peter 2:12, 15).

Heaven breaks loose when God’s people worship him individually and collectively, alone and when gathered together, in Spirit and in truth (John 4:24), approaching the Lord with reverence and awe (Hebrews 12:28).

Heaven breaks loose when Christians “make the most of every opportunity” and let our conversations “be always full of grace” (Colossians 4:5, 6).

What would happen if Heaven broke loose in your home, church, workplace, or neighborhood? How can you bring a touch of Heaven’s glory to your day-to-day world?

David Faust serves as the Associate Minister at East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Lesson study ©2018, Christian Standard Media. Print and digital subscribers are permitted to make one print copy per week of lesson material for personal use. Lesson based on International Sunday School Lesson, ©2013, by the Lesson Committee. Scripture quotations are from the New International Version, ©2011, unless otherwise indicated.