Wonderland (from Alice in Wonderland) is the most appealing wonderland for me. Many fictional worlds are a little scary, although maybe Hobbiton from Lord of the Rings would be appealing since they defeated Dark Lord of Mordor. But that’s a real place in New Zealand. Wonderland feels more magical.
I always liked the Cheshire cat. He seems so calm and contented in a mad world – something that I aspire to, but I’m probably more like the neurotic characters in the story – part of the madness 😀.
I liked the book, but I also liked the Disney movie from 1951. Some fans of Alice in Wonderland were disappointed by it, but I wasn’t, eventhough I do prefer the book and the illustrations by Sir John Tenniel.
There is something in humans that feels that there’s more beyond this world. I think of a line from the hymn; “Great is the Gospel”
it moves my soul and causes me to long
for greater joys than to the earth belong:
Some see belief in God or the afterlife as primitive. Hasn’t humanity grown up now? Well, there was always some who expressed doubts. We can all doubt, but deep within us, we are aware of God, and of the the fact that our existance won’t end when this life ends.
I remember our religion teacher telling us about a Time magazine cover back in 1966 that asked the question “Is God Dead”? Well, you do get periods when church attendance is low. That’s nothing new. It was so just before the great 18th century revivals. But belief in God is very much alive everywhere. Only a few years later – in 1971, another headline appeared – The Jesus Revolution. And such patterns continue. And sometimes, the very places that seem to be heading the move to stamp out belief in God soon become the areas of greatest growth in faith.
I think of heaven as a wonderful place. Some focus on the present creation being transformed. Others think that it’ll be something very different. I’m happy to wait until it happens to discover what it’ll be like. Many Old Testament prophecies pointed to Jesus, but few people understood them properly until they were fulfilled. And I would think that it’s the same with New Testament prophecies about the future. We broadly know what’ll happen, but for the specifics, we’ll just need to wait and see.
I just wanna see Jesus and reign with him forever:
Revelation 20:6
Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
Revelation 21:1-5
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Hibernia Gospel 