At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.
Matthew 22:30

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My husband Scott died over three years ago. We were together for 42 years. I know I will see him in the next reality. I know he is with Jesus. I look forward to holding his hand and feeling his hugs again. I miss him. I miss how he made me laugh. I miss when someone was insensitive towards me (or perhaps I was over-sensitive?), and he told me, “He’s a jerk, don’t listen to him.” Of course, I don’t miss when he was insensitive to me (or was I over-sensitive?). That’s when our sinful natures clashed. I look forward to heaven when our sinful natures will not get in the way of our relationship. I look forward to his personality, his essence, and the uniqueness that made me fall in love with him.

After four decades of marriage, Scott and I knew one another deeply and intimately. I am limited in my understanding of Heaven, but I trust God’s Word, and if He says there will not be marriage in eternity, then the connection and belonging we will feel must be incredible. 

On earth, sexual intimacy in marriage is one way to fulfill the command to “be fruitful and multiply” in Genesis 1:28—which is unnecessary in Heaven—but it’s also intended to be a picture of the closeness we will have with God. This side of eternity, that kind of intimacy is reserved for one person to whom you are fully committed. You entrust them with a part of you that no one else knows. This deep and mutual confidence in one another strengthens the bonds of love and is an expression of this exclusive love. 

In Heaven, we will be able to love with a pure love, like that of the Trinity—Father, Son and Holy Spirit in perfect union. I’m not exactly sure how this plays out, but this pure love is what I anticipate first with Jesus and then with Scott. I know there will be no need for sexual intimacy in Heaven because I can already sense a soul connection that is more intimate and powerful. We can’t even fathom the dynamic way we will experience our loved ones when we are wholly yielded to Jesus.

Next Steps   

Consider this perfect love that we will experience in Heaven. Try journaling about what that might look and feel like, and then talk to God about it. See what He says.