Have been reading Donne and it is quite overwhelming..partly because he describes feelings I often have...from A Hymn to God the Father:

I have a sin of fear, that when I have spun
My last thread, I shall perish on the shore;
But swear by Thyself, that at my death Thy Son
Shall shine as he shines now, and heretofore;
And, having done that, Thou hast done;
I fear no more.


It is stuff like this that makes me long for a beatific vision...I know that sounds like "non-reformed" talk, but such a vision sure would make for a more "sold-out" Christian life.

__________________
Joel Batts
Christ Presbyterian Church (PCA) - Memphis, TN

"Why wasn't God watching? Why wasn't God listening? Why wasn't God there for Georgia Lee?"
- Tom Waits
But you, O God, do see trouble and grief;you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless. - Psalm 10:14

Isn't it nice to know, then, that we'll be experiencing the beatific vision for all eternity?

An Anglican Bishop, Kenneth E. Kirk (1886-1954), wrote an entire book on this subject: The Vision of God: The Christian Doctrine of the "Summum Bonum" (The Bampton Lectures for 1928) (London: Longmans, Green and Co.), 1931.

In its 583 pages, he traces the idea of the beatific vision in Judaism, the mystery religions, Greek philosophy, and (the bulk of the book, of course) throughout the history of Christianity.

Martyn Lloyd-Jones was quite taken with this volume. You might see if you can rustle up a copy, if you're interested in this subject.

You can check out Kirk on Wikipedia.

__________________
Richard T. Zuelch, M.Div
Ruling Elder, OPC (not currently serving)
Westminster Presbyterian Church, CA (OPC)
www.reiterations.wordpress.com
www.foft.wordpress.com

"When I cease to preach salvation by faith in Jesus, put me into a lunatic asylum, for you may be sure that my mind is gone." - Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892)

Thanks Richard. I'll check that out.

Yes, it is grand to know we will see him...it is just that on this side, the finality and "grandness" of death makes me often feel either "what if I've understood God wrongly" or "I won't really know for sure until I die".