Christianity is a ‘participation’ faith system. We all have a part to play and we are each created specifically to accomplish a work worthy of God; not to mention it is one of our deepest natural yearnings; to belong. And we will, in the kingdom; not just once, but many, many times over. Are we employed in the actual restoration itself? I don’t know that for certain. “They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated” (Isaiah 61:4 certainly hints at it). And we know our God is a God of process, you see this in his entire story, and just look at how long your sanctification is taking.

The way I read it we are all part of this ongoing story that is unfolding even now and we are all needed in some way, we all have a part to play in it.

You might think I am merely daydreaming about what we actually do in the eternal kingdom of God, but I know that God creates us to be creators like he is. Just look at how much pleasure we derive from creating and restoring things. Where do you think that comes from? We are promised in scripture that we will reign with God; we are given estates; we are told we will have vital roles in the coming kingdom of God that are important and vital.

“After a long absence, the master of those three servants came back and settled up with them. The one given five thousand dollars showed him how he had doubled his investment. His master commended him: ‘Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.’” (Matthew 25:19–21 The Message)

Come and “be my partner”—that’s the perfect way to put it. The idea behind the parable is promotion in responsibility. And notice that the servants are promoted in the very things they are good at! God puts his renewed sons and daughters—creators like he is—in a re-created world and tells us to do exactly what he told Adam and Eve to do in the beginning.

Scholar and Theologian N. T. Wright therefore says, In Revelation and Paul’s letters we are told that God’s people will actually be running the new world on God’s behalf. The idea of our participation in the new creation goes back to Genesis, when humans are supposed to be running the Garden and looking after the animals. If you transpose that all the way through, it’s a picture like the one that you get at the end of Revelation.

I think our eternity with God will be amazing and so much more than the everlasting church sing a long that many people are expecting…