Would we be happy in heaven if Christ were not there?

Today I was reading God is the Gospel by John Piper and a very interesting question was asked:

"If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?" (pg.15)

So would you be happy? Would I be happy? Piper answers that we as Christians should respond with a resounding NO!

What makes us happy? Naturally people would respond: good health, purpose in life, lots of good friends, enough money to stabilize oneself, etc. At first glance, none of these are really wrong. But when looking into these items further it is apparent that they are self-centered. Happiness for most people involve, as Piper would say, being 'made much of'. We are at the center of our own happiness. This can even be taken into the Christian life such that it twists what divine love is. For us, we praise and serve God because he loves us (which is true). But if his love for us at its core involves us being made much of, who is then getting praised?

As Piper says:

"We are willing to be God-centered, it seems, as long as God is man-centered. We are willing to boast in the cross as long as the cross is a witness to our worth. Who then is our pride and joy?"

The truth is (and this is a wonderful and glorious truth), great happiness comes from beholding a great splendor, and the greatest splendor is God himself. For anyone out there that will read this, the greatest and highest good of the gospel is the "glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ". (2 Cor. 4:6) That which is the only possibility in this world that will make us deeply satisfied and happy is God himself. So do not stray away from this truth, happiness is only found in one place and that is at the cross. The cross provides us with the greatest gift ever imaginable, and that is God himself and this is seen and reflected most amazingly in Christ.