Randy Alcorn, in his book Heaven, (which is a very good book, by the way) emphasizes the ways that we will be the same once we get there. If you like gardening, you still will; if you like mint tea, you still will, etc. Mr. Alcorn may have used different examples, but I don't think he'd disagree with these.
I believe as Mr. Alcorn does that we will not give up these personal examples of our individuality. However, I've been thinking a lot lately about how much we will be changed.
First Corinthians 15: 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
If you could speak to a caterpillar, you'd probably discover that the caterpillar hasn't the vaguest notion of the dramatic changes in store for him. That he would lose the majority of his legs, change colors, change his sense of taste so that instead of preferring leaves he would rather sip nectar... and the most dramatic change is that he would be able to fly with a butterfly's wings instead of creep along the ground.
Perhaps God chose the humble caterpillar to illustrate physical change. Let me toss out a few ideas. Let's say your favorite color is red. Remember we are currently only able to see colors in a narrow spectrum of light. What if you were able to suddenly see new colors. Why you'd have to invent new names for them and your new favorite color might be something called "redurple", or "redange". Seems funny? I think so too, but this might really happen.
Remember how the Jews were bored with manna. It was the food of angels! Psalm 78, vs. 25: "People ate the bread of angels..." What if their taste buds just weren't equipped to taste and enjoy the flavors of manna?
Like the caterpillar, I don't think we have any idea of the glorious changes in store for us. Oh, please don't be alarmed. If you like some things, I think you will still like them. I just think we might discover lots of new things to like.
Some things will definitely change though. You might enjoy reading Agatha Christie now. But did you stop to think that murder mysteries would be absolutely abhorrent in heaven?
Lots of animals have abilities and senses different from our own in this fallen world. Wouldn't we have greater abilities and senses in heaven? Hear new sounds undetectable to us now. Smell new scents. Race faster than a cheetah and soar higher than an eagle. I know. My imagination runs away. But, why not?
Change is coming!
YBIC
Bruce Baber