When we get to heaven and take our place by Jesus’ side, when we ask some of the most burning questions we’ve ever had, when we listen in awe as He tells us “The Plan”, I imagine these reactions:

A hush falling over the gathering of friends and family. Sacred silence as we absorb in complete awe and reverence a plan so all encompassing in detail, so grand in expanse and so exquisitely beautiful in perfection that every question once asked seems trite and desperately insignificant in the face of such grandeur and wisdom.

I picture joyful exclamations and ecstatic wonder as understanding dawns and the sheer joy of it spreads across each face like a curtain unveiling something so divine and delightful it takes all breath away.

“Brilliant!” and “Amazing!” and “So perfect!” are the feeble expressions we use to share our wonder and gratitude for such inexpressibly wise and majestic plans.

Life events that span generations, races, cultures and communities will be seamlessly woven together like an intricately designed web.

I believe we’ll understand the answers to our questions in rich completeness and marvel at the stunning detail of God’s perfect plan.

While we cannot possibly understand His complete plan while here on earth, I like to envision each detail of scenes like these becoming crystal clear to our heavenly eyes:

An illness that prompted a chain of events and reactions among countless others, something we may never see from our mortal perspectives.

A death that prompted life changes of unrelated people which in turn blessed future generations of the very one who died. .. a chain that no human recognized here but was orchestrated by God himself.

An unthinkable tragedy that our Heavenly Father skillfully and so carefully turned around to become the light that shone His love in hearts that no one else could reach, through ways only He could see and bring about … things we may never see while here on earth and yet, with Him, no detail is too small, no path too unlikely, no soul too hardened for His plan to reach.

A financial crisis that saved someone from certain future ruin whether spiritually or physically – a possibility we may have considered and wondered about but God planned with certainty and proactively worked in love for our good.

A thwarted dream that paved the way for bigger dreams to be realized, dreams that made many things possible for others, though not in the lifetime of the one whose dream went unrealized.

Who can say what God is doing right here, right now, today, to weave a design in your life and mine that is of far greater beauty than we can ever imagine?

Who can even begin to grasp how awe-struck and grateful we’ll be when we gather at Jesus’ throne?