How can we bring heaven on earth?

That's our aim right, to bring heaven to earth?
On earth as it is in heaven.
But how do we do that? 
What does it involve?

I think it all hangs around four very simple words:

Joy
I think of Heaven being a place of pure joy and happiness; where worries are left behind and sorrows are healed.  Can you imagine so much joy?  I can, I can imagine it and sometimes even feel it; there are moments of it that touch my heart. 

When Rachel cuddles up close for a hug and it's quiet and perfect and the joy is just in the being.
When the world is quiet and a single bird sings their tune of life.
That is my pure joy.


Love
Heaven is full of abundant, wholehearted, life giving love.  There is no hatred and there are no disputes.  There is just love for everyone exactly as they are in themselves.

Have you felt that?
So many people sadly have not and it's hard to feel it through our earthly relationships not least because we block ourselves from receiving it.  But perhaps we can glimpse it through our love of others; through that unconditionality and life eternal love we have for our families.



Forgiveness
Forgiving someone is hard, much hard than forgetting if you're trying to do it properly; at least that's my experience.  It is a blessing to give to someone else and an honour to receive.  Heaven is a place where everyone is forgiven for everything, even those things they've never faced or voiced.

To have your heart lightened and your soul cleaned, what a relief that will be.
And it's possible every time you pray and ask for forgiveness; and it's provided with every absolution.



Justice
And then it's the really big one, justice.  In heaven there is justice and fairness and appreciation of everyone as they are.  There are no grades or scales or measures or classes; there is just each person individual and valued for what they are in their entirety.

How do we bring this about on earth?  This is a challenge, in the entire world, in each country, in every group, in all families and between couples.  Equality and righteousness.

This is the one we tend to ignore as christians; this is the one which is hard to imagine and live out. But if we want to bring Heaven on Earth then this is one we need to work on.